Bright Winter Nights
by marioandsonicFTW
Summary: Bright Sight is Ponyville's newest resident and he aims to settle down in the small town while concealing his biggest secret. Big Mac finds himself with a lot of downtime after the harvest season had just ended. Both stallions find friendship in each other and, perhaps, in time, it may grow into something even stronger, something that makes even the most freezing winter warm.
1. The First Day of Winter

An alarm clock buzzed loudly in the early morn hours. The humble and cozy bedroom's calm silence was broken while a blue unicorn was disturbed from his dream and slumber. His hooves shuffled from the warmth of his bedsheets as he drowsily rolled over to the right side of his bed, reaching a hoof to his bedside drawer to shut off his alarm. Ah, mornings. As much as the steed liked them, it was always getting up from bed that was the hardest part to do. He was so tempted to head right back to sleep, but this was the second time his alarm had gone off this morning, the first time being an hour ago. His right eye reluctantly pried itself open to see where the snooze button was before it was finally pressed and the silence gloriously returned. The stallion stretched his fore and hind legs as far as possible, letting out a rich groan while his limbs trembled. Finally having some semblance of consciousness, he sat up in his bed, only to be greeted with the cold air as his blanket fell from his body.

"S-Sweet Luna…" He muttered as a chill crawled down his spine. He looked at his alarm clock. _7 AM_. It was the usual time the stallion awoke every day. Getting up on his hooves, he walked over to his draped windows. With a gentle purple glow from his horn, he pulled aside the curtains, letting the morning light brighten the room. The unicorn squinted, covering his eyes with his leg for a few seconds while his eyes adjusted. There was no orange and blue sky to greet him. Only grey gloomy clouds that warned of incoming weather.

"Aw, horsefeathers…" Didn't seem like there would be any clear skies today. Cloudsdale hardly ever gave proper warning for any rain. Actually, it was December already. Perhaps it would be the first snow marking the start of winter. It would explain why it's so cold.

Unable to bear the low temperature, the stallion hurried downstairs to warm himself up. Entering the just as frigid living room, he trotted to the fireplace, levitating some firewood and old newspapers for kindling to the pit and striking a match against the red brick of the fireplace to ignite it before lighting the kindling. The flames grew as they fed off the wood and warmth started to radiate from the gentle fire. The stallion sighed, comfortably warming himself.

"Ivory? Ivory, you around?" He called out, turning his head to the empty home and awaiting some sort of response, but there was no answer. "Hmm." Turning his head back to the fireplace, the unicorn was met with the sight of, not the calm flames of the fire, but the face of a monstrous inferno of a creature glaring right back at him. It's body was hot with a form composed entirely of flames, taking the likeness of a dragon head. A low growl sounded through its gnashed razor sharp teeth before it roared an explosive, deafening roar in the unicorn's face. However, the stallion was unfazed by the sight, merely having a smug grin curving his mouth.

"Good morning, Ivory." He greeted the creature.

"Were you scared, Bright?" The draconic monster disappeared with a pop and in its place was a young mare with a ghostly white coat and pale blue mane. Her eyes were a brilliant yellow and on her flank was the image of a pair of ivory daisies. "Tell me honestly!"

"I was almost scared that time. And thanks for warming me up, by the way." Bright replied with a cheeky smile. Staring down a monster made of such intense heat and flames did rid him of the chill that he had previously. Turning away from Ivory and the fireplace, the blue steed trotted to his kitchen with a chipper skip to his step.

"Oh, come on, Bright Sight! I've been working on that haunting for hours!" Ivory rolled her eyes, exasperated. She levitated off the ground and drifted through the air, following Bright.

"Ivory, I've seen countless hauntings over the years. You learn to get used to 'em." The unicorn reminded as he reached into a cupboard and pulled a frying pan out, setting it on his stove. "Anyway, we've got a big day ahead of us! Princess Twilight invited me to her castle today, so this calls for a big breakfast!"

"Pancakes!?" Ivory pressed her nose against Bright's as she let out an excited gasp.

"Pancakes!" Bright confirmed.

Ivory's eyes lit up like the city lights of Manehattan. "Can I work the mixer this time!?" She asked, almost begging.

* * *

The gentle morning breeze felt freezing as it blew past Bright's hide. The stallion felt a short tremor shake his body while he tightened the thick red scarf around his neck. The gloomy winter sky may have been blocking out the day's sunshine, but that didn't deter Bright as he trotted up the path that lead to Ponyville. What really bothered him was finding yet another splotch of flour on his blue coat that he missed scrubbing away during his morning shower.

"Ivory, remind not to let you haunt the mixer again for awhile." He muttered in mild annoyance.

"Heh. Sorry again, Bright." The ghostly mare giggled as she apologized.

"Eh, it's alright. I can't stay mad at you!" Bright smiled. The peach colored homes that defined much of the likeness of the town of Ponyville came into view as the two made the climb over a hill. Well, Bright made the climb. Ivory only fluttered her incorporeal form following the stallion. She looked down at him before her beaming twisted into a small frown as she looked down at the ground, away from her friend.

"You...sure that you don't want me to scram for the day? I wouldn't want you to risk yourself just to have me around." Ivory asked.

Bright looked up at the pony spirit with a questioning tilt of his head and a furrowed brow. "Ivory, where did this come from?" He replied.

"Well...you only just moved in a week ago and you're already on your way with making some new friends." She paused for a moment. "I just don't want to get in the way of that…"

Bright gave a short chuckle and smiled at his ghostly friend. "Ivory, we've been friends for how long now? 10 years? You've always been there for me when I had no pony who'd think of me as anything more than a nutcase or a lunatic. You think I'd pay you back by turning my back on you when it's convenient for me? You are my best friend and I want you to stay with me."

Ivory's frown lifted a tad into a small smile and she lowered her head to nuzzle the unicorn's cheek. "Thanks Bright...I'd hug you, but I don't have a body." She giggled.

Bright touched his cheek with his hoof. He couldn't feel much, aside from a warm spot, but he appreciated the gesture, nonetheless.

* * *

It really stunned Bright when he actually saw Princess Twilight's castle in person. The crystalline tree-like palace definitely stood out among the hay roofs and pastel foundations of the houses of Ponyville. It managed to sparkle, even under the grey skies above. Bright stood before the tall golden doorway at the tree-castle's base and knocked on the door with his hoof.

Silence for a moment. Just as the unicorn was about to knock again, there was a muffled voice that yelled from the inside. "Coming! Coming!"

The door opened and from within appeared a small purple reptile with green spines that stretched from his head down to his tail. His head only reached as high as Bright's shoulder. He was panting heavily, as if he had ran a mile.

"Sorry for the wait! Whew! You're...Bright, right? From Pinkie's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party?" The baby dragon asked.

"Yeah, that's me!" Bright nodded in confirmation, thinking back to a few days ago, when he first moved into town. A bubbly pink mare was responsible for rallying so many townsponies to a surprise party at the stallion's new home, and what a night that was. Princess Twilight herself was there, along with her group of friends. Bright had never felt so welcome.

"Well, come on inside! Twilight's in the library." The reptile gave a smile, gesturing for the guest to enter while leading the way. Before, following suit, Bright gave a short, but excited glance at Ivory floating right next to him, and she silently responded with the clapping of her hooves. Looking inside of the castle, it was a wonder how much bigger it looked inside than out. Even more astounding was that the pillars and columns were made of crystal and that the walls and floors were so clean and glossy that Bright could make out his reflection.

The long hallways and similar looking doorways made it difficult to discern which door went where. _How does anypony navigate this place?_ Bright wondered. Then, after a short while, the purple dragon directed him to a particular set of doors that were unique in design compared to the others. The young hatchling opened the doors and beyond them were shelves that lined the walls, reaching two stories high on all sides. Even more notably, a lavender mare, with large wings folded at her sides and a glowing horn extending from her forehead, stood by a table, her deep purple eyes scanning through a book, one of celestial bodies it looked like.

"Twilight, the pony you were waiting for is here." The purple lizard notified. Twilight looked up from her book and set her sights on the blue stallion that entered behind her assistant. Her mouth curved into an ecstatic grin as she set her tome down and trotted up to greet her guest.

"Thank you, Spike. Hello, Bright! It's great to see you again!" She chimed.

Bright instantly knelt down on his fore leg, bowing down to the alicorn, as was customary when in the presence of royalty. "I-It's an honor to be here, Princess Twilight!" The stallion blurted out, his nerves causing him to stress on his etiquette. Twilight gave a short giggle as she lightly blushed from embarrassment.

"Oh, please! No need for any of that." She objected, lending her hoof to have Bright rise back up to a stand. "I'm not one to dwell on formalities. Besides, as the Princess of Friendship, I want to extend my friendship to you, since you're new in town and all. Also, when I was at your house, I was rather taken with your telescope and your collection of 'Wizards and Warlocks of the Stars' books."

"Heh. Well, I didn't earn my cutie mark by slouching on my studies." Bright responded with a giddy chuckle, twisting his rear to better show the mark that branded his flank: a yellow crescent moon accompanied by a bright blue diamond star, along with other smaller stars. "And astronomy is my biggest passion. I've loved it ever since I was a little colt!"

Twilight's eyes became alit with glee. For her, it was always a joy to see another pony with such a high affinity for gaining knowledge. "Ah, the study of the stars and the physical universe. Such mystery! Such beauty!" She chortled. "I could give a whole term's worth of lecturing on astronomy, but let's get back to the reason I invited you here."

"You see, Bright," Twilight continued. "the library I have in this castle is one of the largest in Equestria, second only to the Crystal Empire Library and the Canterlot Archives. One day, I thought 'It isn't fair that I should have this whole library to myself.' So, I want to open the library the public, so that ponies from all over can come and reap the benefits of all this knowledge." She gestured to the shelves upon shelves of books that lined the walls. "But I can't possibly run this library myself while tending to my duties as a princess and Spike here is busy being my number one assistant," She gave a wink to the dragon, who responded with a smile. "so I need somepony with a love for learning and books to be the librarian."

"And you want...me?" Bright asked.

Twilight smiled and nodded. "I had a hunch back at the party that you were a well educated stallion. So, what do you say? Would you like to have the librarian position?"

Bright paused, at a loss for words. His eyes became widened as he stared at Twilight, then Ivory drifted to hover next to the alicorn princess. She nodded almost furiously. "Yes! Take it, Bright!" She encouraged.

"I...I'd have to say...yes! Yes! I'd love to!" Bright joyously accepted. "Thank you so much, Princess Twilight!"

The lavender pony chuckled. "Just call me Twilight! We are friends now, after all."

"Wow! I have...no words. Just...thank you!" The blue unicorn repeated.

"You're very welcome! Now, if you're willing to start working now, we can have the library ready for the public by Monday next week!"

"Of course! I'd be happy to start!"

* * *

The thick clouds above Ponyville's skies lingered around all the way until the evening time, which disappointed Bright, since he wanted to arrive home and take his telescope out to stargaze. It didn't seem like that would be possible tonight, but that didn't completely discourage him. He did have some nights in the past week where the night was clear enough for watching the sky, and maybe tomorrow he'd have better luck.

Still, even with the sky cloudy, Ponyville itself was a sight to behold at night. Bright was walking through the marketplace when the streetlights came on, illuminating the town with gentle light. It was a simple touch, but one that filled the blue unicorn with such delight that he couldn't help but beam as he trotted down the path back home, even through the cold winds that whipped at his body, save for neck and torso, which was protected by the unforgiving winter by his red scarf.

"What a day…" Bright sighed, slightly spent. He was quite pleased with his work from today at the castle library. Most of the books had been organized by genre and alphabetically for each. Some had found new shelves to call home, but then the late afternoon came before the stallion could go further. Twilight gave Bright the approval to end the day after the long hours he worked for his first day and assured him that the rest of the books would be waiting for him tomorrow.

Ivory followed alongside Bright, making an effort to actually walk normally on the ground. It wasn't necessary for her to walk, being a spirit, but it was something that reminded her of when she was living. "It was a lot of organizing and rearranging back at the library." She recounted, though she spent some time lazily drifting and wandering around while Bright was working.

"But it's all worth it! I still can't believe that I have this job!" The unicorn responded in a hushed voice, so as to not draw attention from anypony. He can't afford others thinking he was off his rocker.

"Things are looking up for your new life here, Bright." Ivory grinned, giving her best friend a proud gaze before looking down at her hooves stepping on the ground. Not once did they make a single clop, but it didn't take much of Ivory's imagination to fill in that gap.

Bright nodded in agreement at the pale mare's statement. Everything was perfect. No foreseeable worries. No antagonizing ponies. Just a simple life.

BUMP!

Bright was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed some pure red apples fall off a market stand and roll along the ground. Acting on a kind instinct, the unicorn did a short wave of his horn, making it glow it's lustrous purple hue as he grabbed the six stray fruits with a levitation spell.

"Ah, dagnabit!" A deep bass voice exclaimed in frustration. Bright looked over to the owner of the stand and his gaze was met with the sight of a huge red stallion. He was certainly taller than the average stallion and had a very thick build that looked like it came from years of physical exertion. The red earth pony...well, draft horse may have been a better term to describe him, stepped in front of his market stall to pick up his apples, but he found them all picked up by the blue unicorn that stood before him.

"You dropped these. I think a couple of them got bruised. Sorry." Bright explained as he let the fruits float back onto the stand in a neat pile.

"Thank ya kindly." The red stallion thanked with stoic look on his face. His eyes were a deep shade of emerald green, his mane a flowing orange-blonde, and some pale freckles dotted the big colt's upper cheeks.

Bright recognized this pony from somewhere. He had seen him sometime in the last week, he was sure. "I've seen you before, haven't I? Were you at my house when that pink mare threw me that welcome party?"

"Eeyup." Was the stallion's simple answer as he turned to his stand. The old thing was all rickety and had a habit of teetering one way or the other way too often. Perhaps it was time for it to be fixed or replaced, the stallion thought to himself.

"Oh, really? I met so many ponies at that party that I can barely remember what they look like." Bright confessed, scratching the back of his head with his hoof while smiling a sheepish smile. "Ahem...Anyway, what's your name?" He asked.

"Big Macintosh." The draft horse spoke, his mind more focused on the state of his family's apple stand, but he wasn't so rude as to completely ignore the blue unicorn. After all, he did pick up his fallen apples for him as a friendly gesture. Macintosh then decided to deal with the old stand tomorrow in the morning. It was time to close down for the day anyway.

"I'm Bright Sight. So, you work over at the apple farm just outside of town?"

"Eeyup." The stallion put up a "Closed" sign on the stand and stashed the remaining apples on the stand into a barrel and loaded it onto a small cart to take back to his family's farm. The bruised apples will probably have to be fed to the pigs.

Bright couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable with the single word responses. He shuffled his hooves against the road, not knowing how to continue this line of dialogue. He had a notion that Big Macintosh wasn't much of a talker.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around, then." The unicorn began with his farewell, turning to head home.

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied as he strapped his cart's pull onto his midsection.

Without another word, Bright started into a trot, beginning his way home. He tightened his scarf around his neck to better shield himself from the cold icy gusts that occasionally passed by. Then, about half a minute later, the unicorn noticed the sound of wooden wheels rolling along on the road and heavy hooves clopping behind him. He stopped and looked behind him, seeing Big Macintosh hauling his cart just behind him. Their eyes met for a moment and they exchanged looks of confusion.

"The farm's this way." Big Macintosh stated.

"My house is this way." Bright responded.

The two shared an awkward silence that lasted for a few long seconds before Big Macintosh's expression brightened immensely as he broke the tension with a fit of laughter, mostly from the coincidence that they were both going in the same direction. Bright followed suit with the laughter, relieved that the big stallion wasn't at all annoyed or angered.

"Want to walk together then, Big Macintosh?" Bright asked.

With a friendly smile, the red draft horse gave a nod. "Jus' call me 'Big Mac.'" He said.


	2. Another Day in the Farmpony Life

The roosters were crowing and cock-a-doodle-dooing the morning away as they do every morning, though the chilly air made them want to stay inside of their coop for warmth. The Apple Family was already wide awake at these hours. Big Mac occupied himself with the task of loading a new crop of apples onto a cart for Applejack to pull to the market.

Work had slowed to a crawl with the start of winter. Most of the trees in the orchard had withered into hibernation and the trees that Big Mac could still buck had apples that weren't quite ready and if there was any luck, they wouldn't spoil too soon in the cold. All the Apple Family could do at this time of year was store their harvest and make it last as long as possible through the winter, which should be easy, being that this year's harvest was one of their largest.

"Well! I fed the pigs, chickens, and cows!" Applejack chimed in as she came from the animal pens. "Ya got them apples loaded, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup." The stallion nodded.

"Ah'm ready fer school!" Applebloom called from the porch before she scurried over to her older siblings with her schoolbags secure on her back.

"Applebloom, why aren't ya wearing yer hat and sweater? It's s'posed to be colder today than yesterday." Applejack chided, tapping her hoof on the ground.

"It ain't that cold! Ah was hotter than a billy goat with a blowtorch yesterday in that sweater!" The little filly argued.

"Well, I ain't gonna let my lil' sis catch a cold this winter. And if ya get sick, ya won't go to Sweetie Belle's sleepover this Friday. Y'all run along and get yer clothes."

"But AJ!"

"I ain't repeatin' myself, Applebloom."

"Aw, alright." Applebloom surrendered, turning tail and running back inside the house to go to her room. Big Mac chuckled to himself at the exchange between his sisters.

"Ah swear that filly's gettin' more and more rebellious each day." Applejack grumbled.

"She's jus' growin' up. Gettin' ta be as stubborn as her big sister." Big Mac commented.

The orange mare rolled her eyes and her nostrils flared with a short snort before she got herself hooked up to the apple cart. "Anyway, better go to the market an' open the stand."

"Ya sure you can handle the mornin' rush?" The older brother asked.

"Shucks, Mac! You know me! Ah can handle anythin'!"

Big Mac looked at Applejack and gave her sly little smirk. "Need Ah remind ya of that one Applebuck Season and the last Apple Family Reunion?"

Applejack shot Big Mac a nasty glare, then shook her head, curving her scowl into a grin. "Ya know, ya talk too much, big brother." She chuckled as she began her trot to town, apples in tow. "Say hi ta Fluttershy fer me!"

The apple stallion saw his sister off with a wave and patiently waited the few minutes for Applebloom to return with her hoofstitched sweater and beanie hat made with love by her granny.

"Mac, I'm ready now!" Applebloom called, galloping to meet up with Big Mac. "Let's jus' go already!"

The older sibling smiled and began to walk his sister to school.

* * *

The sun began to peek out from behind the pale purple mountains that surrounded Ponyville. Big Mac welcomed the warmth that Celestia provided, savoring it while it would last. There wouldn't be much opportunity for sun, since Cloudsdale reported in the Ponyville Chronicle that a week's worth of snow was scheduled, starting tonight. With his green scarf snug around his large neck, Big Mac walked down the road, crossing a bridge over a small creek and approaching a small cottage that was adorned with birdhouses all over. Arriving at the front door, the stallion gently knocked. Then, the door opened a crack, allowing the soul inside a peek at the pony on her porch.

"Oh! Big Mac!" said a gentle voice. The door then opened wide, revealing the butterscotch mare within. She smiled a welcoming smile at Macintosh. "I must have lost track of time. Please, come in!"

"Thank ya, Fluttershy." Big Mac returned the smile as he entered the humble cottage. Inside, there was a chattering that came from some squirrels and chipmunks that were scurrying around the living room, as well as some birdsong from the birds sitting comfortably on some perches that were built specifically for them.

"I was just getting these little critters ready for hibernation. They won't be able to sleep well unless I help them gather their nuts and read them a bedtime story!" Fluttershy explained.

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded in understanding. "Do ya need some time?"

"Actually, I'm sure that my little friends can wait for two hours while we rehearse our songs for the Hearth's Warming Festival." She assured, while the animals she was caring for chirped and chattered in agreement.

Then came another knocking on the door. "That must be the others." Fluttershy hovered to her front door, taking another peek outside seeing that her assumption was correct. "Good morning, Rarity! Toe-Tapper! Torch Song! Please, come in!"

Entering the abode were three new ponies: a white unicorn mare with her curled and styled purple mane, a blue earth stallion of a slim, slender frame, and a curvy earth mare with a pale peach coat and reddish mane, styled into a bun and adorned with many beads.

"Sweet Celestia, darling! You would not believe how frigid it is outside!" Rarity fussed while she removed her pink scarf with her magical levitation, setting it neatly on the coatrack near the door. "It's not even snowing yet and already I feel the winter's merciless brutality!"

"Oh, it's not that bad, Rarity. I like cold mornings like these! Perfect for having a nice cup of java and a croissant." Toe-Tapper commented.

"I will forever admire your tenacity under such conditions, Tapper. Good morning, Big Mac! Now then, Ponytones! The Hearth's Warming Festival is nearly a week away and we must have all our harmonies in pitch perfect tune! Shall we begin these rehearsals?"

"Uh, before that, Rarity." Torch Song spoke up. "I have to let you know that I won't be able to come to rehearsals on Saturday. I'm going to visit my sister in Canterlot to support her poetry slam."

"Ah, I see. Well, Song, my dear, I understand completely. You are excused." The unicorn smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Rarity!"

"Now, back to business! Vocal warm ups, everypony!" Rarity chimed with a short clap of her hooves.

* * *

It was a shame that the pegasi had to bring in the clouds so soon, and while Big Mac was on his stroll down the tranquil path back into town, no less. Morning sunshine was something that Big Mac was particularly fond of, but the snow clouds had to be unloaded from Cloudsdale's weather factory and apparently somepony wanted it done sooner rather than later. The snowfall wasn't even due until tonight. The stallion shrugged without much of a reaction showing on his ever expressionless face. It couldn't be helped. Besides, there was no use in bellyaching about it when he had more free time to himself.

With the harvest season done, Big Mac didn't have anything to do until he had to take over for Applejack this afternoon. This time of year was always a nightmare. Next to no work to be done for weeks. Big Mac was so used to years of tending to the farm that whenever the family hit down time in the winter weeks, he was always itching to find something to do. It was an annoying itch that the work horse could only barely scratch. Big Mac bit the corner of his lip and thought for a moment, wondering if Spike wasn't too busy today. He might as well see, if only just to kill time.

Upon arrival at the castle, the workhorse walked up to the broad golden doorway and knocked three times. A short moment of silence, then one of the doors wedged open and out came Spike.

"Hey, Big Mac!" The little dragon smiled. "What's up? Hoping to hang out a bit today?"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac nodded in confirmation.

"Well, I am supposed to help Twilight with getting the library organized, but I don't think she'll mind. She has somepony else helping her out anyway! Come on inside!" Spike invited, ushering Macintosh to enter.

The stallion couldn't quite get used to the hugeness of the castle. The hallways were so tall and so wide open that it felt a bit isolating. Each hoofstep he took echoed around the corridors and it was a bit unsettling. Twilight could do a bit more to make the decor at bit more welcoming and friendly. Or maybe Big Mac just prefered the snug warmth of his smaller home. At the very least, though, the colors of the crystal and tapestries on the walls were pleasing to the eye.

Spike scurried to the doors of the library and poked his head inside through the door. "Hey, Twilight! I'm gonna be in my room with Big Mac!

"Alright, Spike. We can handle things here." Twilight was heard replying.

Big Mac stood behind Spike and took a peek through the gap in the door. Some of the shelves within the library were empty while books were stacked high on the tables strewn about the room. There was clearly some reorganizing and renovation going on, like Spike said. Then, the stallion's eye wandered to the pony that stood across the library, a blue unicorn. Ain't that...Bright? Big Mac thought. He looked closer. Purple mane and a crescent moon cutie mark. It certainly looked like him. And it looked like he was chatting with someone beyond Mac's field of view.

"Come on, Big Mac! I got some new hoofball cards to show you!" Spike chimed, tapping the earth pony on his large fore leg before he started to lead him to his bedroom.

Big Mac looked down at the dragon and nodded, following him. His thoughts wandered, back to the evening before when he was walking home with Bright. Not much happened. Hardly any words were exchanged. It was just a peaceful evening stroll...and it was nice. Big Mac had had plenty of nights when he would walk home after closing the market stand, but it was always just another tedious stroll. Other times, he'd make the trip back to the farm with his sisters and that was good and all. He loved them, after all. But having Bright's company last night was...pleasant. Maybe because no one other than his family ever asked to walk with him before.

"Try and hold your excitement, Big Mac, because after you see what I got, you'll be begging me to trade something for your Double Wing card." Spike smugly chuckled as the two arrived at his room.

The stallion let out a laugh. "Ah'll be the judge of that."

* * *

The late afternoon was a gloomy one. The sky was already well stuffed with snow-filled clouds and it had gotten a tad dark, even though the sun was still up. Grey and dim light was glowing over Ponyville from the clouds while Big Mac was occupied with hammering another nail into the apple stand. Another evening shift after Applejack took the morning. She already left after Big Mac came to take over and most likely picked up Applebloom from school before heading back to the farm. The stallion sighed in satisfaction after he finished his repairing of the stand. Now the darn thing shouldn't be as rickety or wobbly as before.

That left the red stallion with the apples he had to sell as well the nearby market stand owners for company, not that he's in any rush to make conversation anyway. There were a good number of ponies passing through the marketplace already for the afternoon rush, so earning a profit for the farm shouldn't be any different from any other day. Really, Big Mac was pretty much alone with his thoughts.

That little snake of a dragon with those first edition cards... He chuckled to himself as he thought back to his visit with Spike. Spike wasn't totally wrong with his claim. He did gain a few rare hoofball cards from a collector's shop in Canterlot. Must be nice ta have that luxury… Being a dedicated farmpony, Big Mac didn't get much opportunity to travel outside of Ponyville. Only a hoofful of times had he done so and even then, he's only travelled as far as Cousin Goldie Delicious' home, which isn't much farther than Canterlot. Spike, and for that matter, his sister, got to see more of Equestria than he did, not that he was angered by it, by any means, but he couldn't help but feel a bit envious.

The clock ticked away as ponies came to the stand, purchased their bushels of apples, and left on their way to continue shopping. It was business as usual for Big Mac, but he never failed to thank his customers for their support. After all, it was their loyalty that kept the farm running. The sky grew dark as night began to fall and the lanterns laced around town flickered to life to illuminate the streets. It was just about time to close up the stand for the day. The stallion turned to scan the inventory that he had left and was surprised to see that only a little more than a dozen remained. Guess ponies must be stockin' up fer winter… Big Mac shrugged, gathering the apples into a barrel before loading it onto his cart.

"Hey there!" A somewhat familiar voice greeted. The stallion looked up and saw that Bright stood there from across the apple stand. The blue unicorn was gazing up at him with a friendly smile. Then, Big Mac didn't notice it before, but he saw that Bright's eyes were mismatched. His left eye was crystal blue while his right was a shimmering amethyst. Not only that, but the tip of his left ear was damaged, slightly chipped. "Closing up for the day?" Bright asked.

"Eeyup…" Big Mac answered, blinking out of his short trance.

"I'm on my way home too. Do you want to walk again tonight?"

The earth pony thought about it. Well, the company would be good. And he was a bit curious to ask if the unicorn was at Twilight's Castle earlier that day. Then again, Big Mac wasn't really one to be forward and ask questions. It was kind of intrusive, but what's the harm in just another quiet stroll?

"Eeyup." He nodded in agreement, turning to quickly load some empty barrels and hitch himself up to his cart.

Bright beamed and let the earth pony catch up with him before they started to saunter home. The air grew colder with the darkened night, making even the gentlest of breezes feel frosty at the tip of Big Mac's nose. He gave a small snort as he wriggled the end of his muzzle, giving it a short warm rub with his hoof.

"Is it hard to run a farm during the winter time?" The unicorn asked, attempting to make conversation, however little the dialogue might be.

Big Mac shook his head. "It ain't hard if yer prepared. Gotta make sure ya get the harvest in and store 'em nice and safe so they last the winter."

"Is that all you have to do?"

"We keep busy. We got the pigs, cows, and chickens to take care of. Apples aren't the only thing we got on the farm."

"That's pretty cool." Bright finished, having no further line of questioning. He looked up at the sky, seeing nothing but clouds. They somewhat glowed, reflecting the light that shined from Ponyville's lamps and houses.

Big Mac looked over at the other stallion. He felt the need return a question, though timidity made it difficult to form words in his mouth. That was one thing anypony wouldn't be able to tell about Macintosh just by looking at him. Though he was bigger and stronger than the average stallion, he was a shy one, regardless of what his stoic expression might lead one to believe.

"So...uh…how's the library?" He asked.

Bright flinched and looked over at Big Mac with a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"Er...Weren't ya at Twilight's Castle, inside the library today?" Big Mac scratched his ear, feeling uncomfortable for asking in the first place. Way ta make it awkward, Macintosh! He thought.

"Well...yeah, I was. I'm helping with organizing the books and preparing the place for the opening next week. How did you know?"

"...Ah was there earlier today. Ah was jus' visitin' mah friend, Spike and Ah saw ya there." Big Mac explained, averting his eyes from Bright's, hoping that he didn't make it sound like he was stalking the unicorn or anything else ridiculous like that.

"Oh! Okay then...The library is great, by the way." Bright said, answering the earth pony's first question.

"Really…?"

"Yeah, absolutely! I never dreamed of there being so many books on astromancy! Not to mention that I can read all about astronomy as much as I could ever want!" Bright chimed, his demeanor lightening up into cheerful excitement. Big Mac gave a short chuckle and a small smile as his anxiety faded.

"Ya like readin' up on stars?" The farm pony didn't know what the hay those books could be about, but "astro" made him think space and whatnot.

"I've been in love with stars and the nighttime ever since I was a small colt. I've got my dad to thank for that. He's an astronomer and he works at the Griffin Observatory in Coltifornia, where I'm from." Bright explained. "Almost every clear night, he'd take me outside with his telescope and, for hours, we'd look up at the moon and the stars ." He swept his hoof across the cloudy sky for emphasis. "...or at least the stars that we could see. Coltifornia isn't really the best place for stargazing, what with the big city lights polluting the sky."

Big Mac nodded, intrigued by Bright's background. "Well, horseapples. Coltifornia's a pretty long way from here. Why'd ya move here ta Ponyville?" He asked.

"Ponyville's a vastly smaller town than back at my old home. There aren't a lot of lights that brighten up the sky, which means here, at night, I can see far more stars than I could before. And someday, I'm going to own an observatory here where I can see as many stars as possible every night."

"Heh. Ain't that some dream ta shoot for." Big Mac remarked with a smile. Then, before the two stallions knew it, the road they walked on hit a fork. One path lead to Sweet Apple Acres, the other snaked its way to Ponyville's outskirts. This was where the two parted the night before.

"I guess we go our ways here." Bright stated.

"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded. He turned toward the unicorn. "...Thanks fer the walk, Bright...and fer the walk yesterday. It was nice."

"You're welcome, Big Mac. Anytime! Maybe I'll see you same time tomorrow night."

"Sure. Ah'd like that."

Suddenly, a speck of white fell down upon Bright's snout, to which Bright reacted by jerking back a bit and rubbing the spot where the speck fell. It was cold and moist. The two stallions looked up and saw that snowflakes were falling down from the clouds above them. It was the first snow of the winter. Their eyes met again and Bright gave a short chuckle.

"I'll see you later, then. Have a good night!" Bright sent-off to Big Mac as he continued on his path home.

"You too." The apple stallion replied with a short wave of his hoof. Then, he resumed his walk, following the same path that led back to his home while he tightened his scarf around his thick neck. The snowfall started to pick up, coming down fairly frantically in the short minute since it started. Winter's really startin' hard this year.


	3. Bitter and Sweet Chills

Bright looked out of his living room window, seeing a vast expanse of white covering the land, reaching as far as the distant sugarloaf mountains that encircled Ponyville. A heavy pour of powder coated the land in this icy blanket throughout the night and with the weather suddenly much colder than the last couple days, Bright had to dress himself in a warm, bulky jacket, as well as a blue beanie. It was far too cold for simply a scarf now.

"It really came down last night, Ivory." He marveled.

"I know. It looks like about a foot of snow out there." Ivory replied with the tip of her hoof tapping her chin. She phased through the wall of the warm home and dove, headfirst, into the ice and slush. Bright quickly lost track of his friend, since her ghostly white coat and very pale blue mane blended in extremely well with the whiteness outside. Then after a moment, Ivory popped her head out from under the floorboards. "Yep! Definitely a foot!"

Bright jumped a bit from her sudden emergence then gave a short laugh. "I've never seen this much snow before...It's kind of exciting! Makes you wanna be a foal and jump right into the snow to make snow pegasi!" It was a tempting thought. It never snowed at Bright's previous home. The closest flurry was relegated to the nearby mountain range.

"I'll bet! But you'll need to get out the door first." Ivory reminded. She turned and looked towards the closet near the kitchen and, with the force of her will, opened it and out fell a snow shovel. Bright turned at the sound of the clatter it made. "Huh? Oh! Right!" He remembered. Stepping forwards, he picked it up with his levitation. He saw a small tag tied to the handle that read "From Dad". Bright smiled, thinking back to nearly a week ago: the day before he moved…

* * *

The afternoon sun was glistening through the windows of the Sight household. It was still mildly warm, like a fresh spring day, even though it was a week into December. Bright's bedroom was all but bare, save for a naked mattress, a dresser and a closet that was nearly empty. Only a few clothes and belongings remained. _Just one more thing and I can seal this box up._ Bright thought, looking down at his last package.

"You know, it'll be much colder in Ponyville than it is here during the winter." At the door of the bedroom was a pegasus stallion with Bright's likeness. His blue coat was a few shades darker and his deep brown mane almost jutted forwards from his head, except for one crop that curved over his face like a boomerang. His slightly taller size suggested he was older than Bright and his flank was emblazoned with a burning icy comet.

"I know, Dad. I went shopping for some warmer clothes yesterday, so I'd say I'm prepared." Bright assured while patting his hoof on another box he had sealed up with "Winter Clothes" written with permanent marker.

"Well, not quite. You're going to get a lot of snow, so I got you something that should help." Comet turned and trotted over to his bedroom for a moment before returning, carrying a large shovel under his wing.

"Oh, great!" Bright grinned, taking the shovel with his magic and examining it. "I'll need to dig myself out of the new place if it snows too hard. Thanks, Dad." He propped the shovel against the wall and wrapped his hooves around Comet for a hug.

"I hope it comes in handy, son…" Comet pulled his head back and looked at Bright, his foal, now a remarkable young stallion. He gave a short chuckle. "Look at you. My starry-eyed colt, ready to take on the world. Dear Luna, you've grown so much." Comet's sea blue eyes burned, tears threatening to fall while the corners of his mouth started to make a shaky bittersweet smile.

"Aw, Dad, don't start the waterworks now! I'm not even leaving yet!" Bright laughed to delay the inevitable onslaught of emotions. He wasn't quite ready for it yet.

Comet shared in the laughter, using a fetlock to wipe his eye as he took a calming breath. "I know...It's just hard to believe that it's already time to let you go again. Feels like just yesterday I was seeing you off for Canterlot..."

Bright leaned more against his father, craning his neck around Comet's. "Ponyville won't be much farther. I'll only be a train ride away. I'll still send you letters often and I'll invite you over on your time off." He promised.

"If I didn't have to go to Prance for the High Province Astronomy Conference, you know I'd spend the holidays with you." Comet sighed while spreading his left wing and wrapping it around Bright's back, holding him snug.

Bright tightened the embrace. "I'll be fine, Dad. There'll always be next year."

Then, his eye was caught by the last thing he wanted to pack: a photo frame sitting on his drawer. Bright brought the frame closer with his aura and smiled as he shared the photograph inside with Comet. The moment captured in the photo showed Comet sitting with a beautiful violet unicorn on the rim of a large grand fountain, set in what looked like a colorful garden of many exotic flora. The filly's deep purple mane looked like it bounced and curled above her face and dropped down her back before curving upwards at the ends. She and Comet were both smiling widely, eyes closed, as if they were laughing together.

Comet stared longingly at the mare in the photo before he looked over at Bright. "Is…your mom around? I bet she'd want to tell you a few words too."

"Your father's right." Bright set his gaze just past his father and saw his mother, leaning against Comet with her foreleg wrapped around his.

"She's here." Bright grinned. "Hi, Mom."

Nova smiled in return. Her incorporeal body lifted off the ground and drifted before Bright so that she could face him. "It's hard to believe it's already time for you to go off on your own, Bright. I'm sure you'll be happy in Ponyville. You'll meet new friends and see thousands of stars every night, like you always dreamed of." She looked into her son's heterochromatic eyes, attempting to cup his cheeks with her phantasmic hooves.

Bright felt nothing and the look on his face whispered a thousand griefs. His eyes stung a bit. "You'll come and haunt me sometimes, won't you?" He asked. His voice trembled a bit.

Nova pursed her lips, stepping an inch towards Bright before she stopped. Perhaps, she wanted to give him a kiss. "Of course I will, Bright. It's hard to leave your dad's side, but whenever I can, I'll see you…" Nova shifted her gaze towards Comet. He had a thousand mile stare, searching the area Bright was looking. He wanted desperately to see even a shadow of her presence. "Tell Comet it's time for him to find somepony new. He's going to feel lonely without you."

Bright turned his head to Comet. "Mom says it's time to find a marefriend."

Comet gave a short laugh. "Alright. I suppose it has been long enough...Maybe too long. It wouldn't hurt to see if I still got that charm." He said as he brushed his brown mane with a fetlock.

Bright looked back down at the photograph in his hooves and packed it away into his box. Then he looked up at both of his parents. The weight of the present finally set down on him. Bright was an adult now and he was leaving his home, going out on his own. There would be a great distance between him and the ponies he always felt safe with and the thought was terrifying. Still, he knew that he was ready to leave. It was the right time.

"I'm going to miss you both. So much." Bright bit his lip. The waterworks started to flood. He wrapped his hooves around his father, hugging him tightly. Tears began to river down his cheeks. Comet instantly hugged him back, wishing to hold onto his little colt forever. The two of them were surrounded in a gentle warmth provided by Nova's ghostly embrace.

* * *

"Don't forget to send a letter to your dad and thank him for this shovel." Ivory reminded.

Bright was snapped out of his reminiscing and lifted his head to attention. "Oh, yeah! Of course! Anyway, I should start shoveling the snow before I become tardy for work." With his tool at the ready, he approached and unlocked the front door. After opening, he was greeted with a step of snow a foot tall that covered his lawn and buried his path to the main road four yards away.

Bright made sure to check that his jacket was zipped up tight and his beanie was snug on his head. _Better get started._ He thought.

* * *

The whimsical chime of unicorn magic sounded as a stack of books was lifted from the ground and neatly arranged on a shelf twenty-five feet high. Bright clung to a bookshelf ladder, deeply focused on placing each individual tome where it belonged while also careful not to drop the rest of the stack. Finally, when all the books he had were organized, he slid down the ladder back to the ground.

"Whew! Those are all the non-fictions. Now we can start stacking the encyclopedias." Bright sighed as he looked over a pile of books that was not as appealing to the eye as a proper stack.

Ivory emerged from under another pile, barely disturbing any of the pages with more than a simple flip of the hard covers. "I found a few volumes and I did my best to separate them from the mess." She said, pointing her hoof at a few scattered reference guides about alchemy strewn about the floor, separate from the rest.

Bright smiled graciously. "Thanks, Ivory. You're a big help." He picked up each of the books, scanning their hardback covers and arranging them in a new stack by order of volume. Ivory dove back into her pile to search out any more encyclopedias.

Looking back at his work over the last few days, Bright was a bit baffled at how much he and Twilight had finished. With how the shelves circled around the walls of the library, they were about three quarters finished filling them. There were quite a number of genres that they had divided all the books into as well: biographies, history, fiction, mystery, and so much more, all resting between the crystalline pillars that supported the room.

The sound of a book dropping to the floor caused Bright to turn his head back to Ivory. She had her upper body submerged in the books while her flank stuck out of the pile, her hind legs flailing around as she searched. Bright chuckled to himself. Ten years and she was still as much of a goofball as she was when they had first met. It was curious though. Ivory was Bright's best friend, yet he knew almost nothing about her when she was alive. It's not that he didn't try asking, but it was more a matter of if her mind was in the right place.

"Hey, Ivory?" Bright called.

She popped her head out of the books. "Yeah, Bright?"

He picked up the couple new tomes Ivory had picked out of the pile and had them ordered with the stacked ones. "Do you remember anything new about your old life?" He asked.

Ivory pondered the question for a moment. She rested on top of her bed of books with a hoof on her cheek as she looked up to the ceiling, deep in thought. "Hmm...There was something," Ivory's memory was tricky to decipher. In the best of times, they were just brief flashes of simple moments. "It was...a feeling. It was a nice one! I think there was one night when I was lying down on a bed of flowers. It was so soft and comfy," She grinned as she rolled onto her back, hugging herself from the blissful thought. "I think they were...white calla lilies, because I remember how they smelled."

"That sounds wonderful." Bright smiled.

"Yeah...Bright?" Ivory rubbed her forelegs together. "Do you think I'll ever remember how...how I died?"

"Maybe someday," Bright answered as he finished a new stack. "Why do you ask?"

Ivory rose from the ground as she rolled right-side up again. "Because other ghosts we meet remember mostly everything about their lives. I don't know why I can't," She looked down at the ground before taking a deep inhale. "Bright, I want to know who I was! It's so frustrating seeing other ponies live their lives when I can't even recall my favorite pastime or what I ate for lunch on any day of my life. I want to remember every good and bad day!" She began to pace around in the air, growing more and more aggravated. "What did I mean to other ponies? Who was my family? Who did I love? Did I die happy? Bright, why can't I remember!?" The crystal chandelier above, as well as the desk lamps around the library, flickered and surged with Ivory's distress.

"Hey! Hey, Ivory, don't you worry about it," Bright assured with a soothing softness in his tone. "I'm sure that there will be someday when you'll be able to recall everything about yourself."

Ivory sat suspended in the air, curled up with her legs close to her body, hiding her muzzle behind her forelegs. "...No joke?" Her voice was reduced to a barely audible squeak.

"I mean it," Bright nodded with a gentle smile. "You're remembering little things now. Plus, you've got all the time in the world. There's no need to-"

The library doors opened and in came Twilight, with Spike following closely beside her. Both of them were carrying various shopping bags filled with blank posters and banners. "We're back, Bright!" She greeted.

Bright immediately silenced himself. His body tensed up to the stiffness of granite and his ears folded flat behind his head. "H-Hey there, Twilight! Hey, Spike!" He feigned enthusiasm from their sudden arrival. Bright glanced over to the side, seeing Ivory covering her mouth with her hooves, looking back at Bright.

"I'll get out of your mane!" She nodded before flying off, disappearing into another chamber in the castle through a wall.

Twilight scanned the whole library, seeing the newly-filled shelves and grinning ear to ear at their progress. "Wow! Amazing job organizing the books! You've done a lot in the time we've been gone, Bright."

Bright gave a short anxious chuckle. "Heh. Thanks. I try!"

Twilight looked around the room. Her delighted demeanor shifted into slight confusion. She lifted a brow. "Was there no one else here with you?"

"No…Why do you ask…?" Bright could feel a drop of sweat beading down the side of this face.

"We thought we heard you talking with somepony before we came in." Spike chimed in as he tossed the bags he was carrying onto a nearby desk.

"Ha! That? I-I'm just guilty of talking to myself from time to time." He lied. It wasn't the first time he had to explain himself, but it certainly never got any easier for him. "I admit that it helps me focus if I give myself a little pep talk."

"Oh! Well, that's nothing to be ashamed about, Bright. Everypony has their little ticks." Twilight assured.

"Yeah! You should listen to Twilight go on and on about Gallopleo's invention of the first telescope. She can give a whole lecture in her sleep!" Spike added, pulling out a comic book from one of the shopping bags.

Twilight chuckled sheepishly with a light blush on her cheeks. "That only happened once," She murmured softly before quickly changing the subject. "Anyway! We should have enough posters to put up all over town Everypony will know about the library's grand opening on Monday."

"Do you need me to help design and paint them?" Bright asked.

"That won't be necessary, Bright. I've already asked Pinkie Pie to make the posters and the banner. For now, we can just finish organizing and shelving the rest of the books." Twilight said, trotting over to one of the book piles.

"Alright then! Let's do it!" Bright determinedly nodded.

* * *

That evening, Bright was cantering down the same road through Ponyville leading back home. He was somewhat familiar with the landmarks on the way back at this point. Snow was falling, a bit less than a flurry, but enough that Bright had to keep himself bundled in his jacket and beanie. The street lamps were lit and their warm light against the dark grey sky was a pleasing sight to him. It just felt very...cozy.

Ponies chattered all around as their hooves crunched in the slush. Some fillies and colts laughed and played, taking turns pushing each other on their sleds. Yuletide songs filled the air as Bright passed the fountain in the square. A group of carolers were singing Hearth's Warming tunes signaling the incoming holiday. Hearth's Eve just was a week away. Such a festive place would fill anypony with spirit.

Bright smiled, reminiscing to previous Hearthmases, thinking about his family and how they'd get together every year. He always loved the holiday season and the good times that came with it, though this was his first year without any of his relatives near. _I guess...not everypony can be with family sometimes._ He thought, beginning to feel something in his chest sink, like he was ill. Bright stopped where he was and took a deep breath. The cold, yet fresh, air filled his lungs and cleared away some of his worry.

He continued his walk, entering the marketplace. Compared to the square, the market was quieter, as there were not as many stands and vendors open, due to the weather. The near silence was slightly jarring to Bright. Usually, he had Ivory's company to fill the empty air, but he hadn't seen her since she left the library. It was unlike her to be away for such a time. He hoped that she'd turn up when he arrived home.

"...Howdy." A deep bass voice pierced through Bright's train of thought. He looked up and saw Big Macintosh, loading up his cart as he closed the apple stand at the same time he did the past couple days. He was dressed surprisingly light for the cold, only wearing a thin dark green sweater and a red wool scarf.

"Oh, hi, Big Mac!" He greeted with a smile. "How was your day?"

"Was alright...You feelin' okay?" He asked, with a raised brow breaking his usually stoic face.

"...Y-Yeah...I'm fine." Bright answered, slightly confused at the question. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, ya looked like ya had a lot on yer mind." Big Mac said as he lifted his last barrel onto his cart.

"I was just...thinking about my family and the holidays coming up." He wasn't technically lying, though he did avert his eyes away from Big Mac.

"Homesick?"

"A little." Bright admitted with a nod.

Big Mac stroked his chin with a hoof, then he quickly hooked himself up to his cart before he turned back to Bright. "Follow me." He said before starting down the road, cargo in tow.

Bright tilted his head, hesitating a second, then trotting up next to Mac. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"You'll see." Big Mac looked over to him and gave a simple smile.

Bright was still puzzled, but seeing Mac's delighted expression assured him that the farmpony only had the best of intentions. Both of them continued down the same path that lead back to their homes, but then after two minutes of walking, Big Mac made a right turn on a street. Not long afterwards, he and Bright stopped in front of a wooden tavern. Bright looked up at a sign hanging on a pole extending towards the street. _Rhythm & Brews._ Big Mac pulled his cart to the side of the road and unstrapped himself. He walked up to the door and opened it for Bright, gesturing for him to enter first.

An inviting light and warmth radiated from the inside. Bright stepped inside and was greeted by the aroma of smooth, rich, roasted coffee beans. The welcoming melody of a jazzy piano came from some speakers that were installed on a small stage near the counter. The walls were painted black, but were decorated with chalk writings, drawings, and some framed photos and magazine covers of some well known musicians and artists. There were a few ponies sitting at the tables around the shop, chattering amongst themselves. Bright was charmed by the atmosphere and he looked back at Big Mac, who closed the door behind him.

"Why'd you bring me here?" Bright asked.

Mac loosened his scarf. "Ah wanted to treat ya to a cup of coffee...And, if yer okay with it, Ah'm willing to lend a listenin' ear about yer troubles."

Bright's eyes widened a bit. He was surprised by the kind gesture. "Wow. Thank you...Though, I'm not really much of a coffee drinker, but I'll take a hot chocolate." He grinned.

Big Mac felt a rise in his chest from seeing Bright's joy. It was the same feeling he had when he made Applebloom's fluttering dragonfly toy fly when she was a foal, or when he was showing Applejack how to buck and she made her first apple fall off its branch. It was...satisfying.

The coffee and chocolate didn't take long to be brewed and, in no time, the two were seated at a table for two by the street window with their mugs. Big Mac had to pull his sweater off because the coffee shop was already toasty enough for his liking. Bright kept his jacket on, since the cold weather was something he still hadn't gotten accustomed to, but he took off his beanie and set it aside on the table. Eager to try his hot chocolate, he lifted his cup with his aura, blew softly to cool it a bit, and took a sip. The brew was warm, smooth, and rich in flavor and after it swirled in his mouth for a bit, Bright could taste sweet, cool peppermint serving as a finisher.

"Mmm...That's some great chocolate." Bright said, licking some whipped cream that stuck to his upper lip. Setting his mug down, he looked up at Big Mac. It was the first time Bright was able to get good look at him, since usually they met on the dark street at sundown. Big Mac's red coat almost glowed in the warm light and the freckles on his cheeks were easier to see. What was most surprising was how defined his muscles were. His chest was broad and looked as solid as a boulder and his forelegs were thick, like small tree trunks. Big Mac looked like he could move a whole house on his own.

 _Dang. I knew he was big, but who knew he was such a...hunk._ Bright felt his cheeks heat up a tad at that thought. He was blushing, though his dark blue fur hid any indication. He darted his eyes away toward the window before he could've been considered staring. Then, he remembered why they were sitting down here in the first place.

"Um...So…Hearth's Warming is coming up soon and it's the first time I'll have to celebrate without my family close." Bright started. "I don't have the bits to take a trip back to Coltifornia after I just moved in and my dad won't be able to come by for the holidays because he has a conference in Prance to attend."

Big Mac nodded. "Have ya got family only in Coltifornia?"

"Not really. I have relatives from all over Equestria, but we usually meet up for Hearth's at my home. Though, this year, my uncle's going to host the family, since my dad and I aren't going to be there."

"What about yer mom?" Mac asked.

Bright stared at him for a second, then lowered his gaze. His lips tightened and for a brief moment, his expression faltered slightly into a sharp sting of grief. "My mom isn't around. She died a short time after she gave birth to me."

Big Mac's eyes widened and his heart sank in his chest. _Dang it, Macintosh, ya stupid colt! Ya never know when to jus' shut up!_ "Aw, gosh…Ah'm sorry." He lowered his head, biting his tongue and staring down at his mug of black coffee. This was why he avoided talking too much. He hated hurting others with whatever nonsense he'd say without thinking.

Bright peered back at Big Mac and he just reached a hoof to pat his foreleg. "It's alright, Big Mac. You didn't know." Bright comforted. "Besides, I've already made my peace with it."

"Ah know how much it hurts though," Big Mac murmured. He lifted his mug with his hoof, taking a gulp of his joe. Bitter and strong, like his father liked it. "...Ah lost both mah mom and dad when Ah was a colt."

"...I'm so sorry for your loss." Bright condoled. Mac nodded and lifted his head, fixing his eyes on Bright. He heaved a heavy sigh and smiled softly at him.

"Sorry fer bringing those bad feelin's back." He apologized once more, his ears folded back as he looked off out the window, watching the snowfall.

Bright shook his head. "Big Mac, it's fine. Really. It's healthy to be sad every once in awhile about losing someone. At least I got to know her." He tensed up and took another sip of his hot chocolate rather quickly after saying that.

"Got to know yer mom? How?" Big Mac asked, returning his focus to Bright.

"...My dad would tell me a lot of stories about her. About how they met, how they fell in love, how she sounded, how she laughed…" Bright beamed a smile, yet Mac felt there was something a bit off about it, like it was a bit forced.

"That's a fine sentiment." He responded, believing that he might have offended Bright. He swirled his coffee in his mug while internally cursing himself. An awkward silence fell between the two, being only filled by the jazz played from the stage.

Bright could tell that Big Mac was still a bit sour about their conversation going quickly south. He felt a chill run down his spine, as if his body responded to the larger stallion's mood. He couldn't let him continue to feel bad about a little thing like this. Bright thought for a moment and remembered something that might lighten the load from Mac's shoulders.

"You know, when I was a little colt, there were some nights when I'd be so sad about my mom being gone that I'd cry. I couldn't get to sleep, but then my dad would come into my room and he'd let me sleep with him in his bed," Bright softly beamed from the memory. "He'd tuck me in and then pick up his guitar and sing a special song to me," He closed his eyes and heard his father's strumming. The words came to Bright so easily. He began to softly sing the somber melody.

" _The stars lean down to kiss you_

 _And I lie awake and miss you  
Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere  
'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly  
But I'll miss your arms around me  
I'd send a postcard to you, dear  
'Cause I wish you were here…"_

Bright felt a burning sensation in his eyes, but wiped it away with his foreleg. "That song would always help me fall asleep." He sniffled.

As he listened, Big Mac was reminded about the nights he'd spend sleeping with his sisters and granny after their parents passed on. Those days were tough, but, at least, they mourned together. He was touched that Bright had endured the same. "That's a beautiful thing, Bright. Yer lucky to have yer dad."

Bright silently chuckled as he looked down at his mug of chocolate, slowly turning it with his hooves. "Yeah…" He decided to finish the rest of his drink. "Anyway, thanks again for bringing me here," Bright spoke as he grabbed his beanie from the table and stood up from his seat. "...It was really nice to sit down and talk with you."

Big Mac found himself with a great amount of weight lifted from his heart. He had never related with anypony outside of his family about loss, until now. "Eeyup...Ah think so too."

"Let's do this again sometime, so long as next time, you let me pay for the drinks." Bright held out a hoof for a friendly shake.

Big Mac smiled as he accepted. "Eeyup. Sure." He wrapped their fetlocks together and firmly shook once. Something in his chest jumped, but he didn't know what or why.

"I'll see you later then. Hope you get home safe," Bright waved before turning and trotting. At the door, he looked once more at Big Mac, and gave him one more smile. "Good night." Then, he stepped out into the snowy night.

"Good night, Bright…" After watching him leave, Big Mac's insides were tied up in knots. He took a deep breath and sighed, relieving the tension. He hadn't noticed the feeling until now and he wondered why his heart was beating hard and his cheeks felt warm.

* * *

The sky was dark as snow continued to fall in an icy gale, nearly burying the road as Bright arrived at his home. Simple breezes were frigid on the exposed parts of his body, feeling like sharp blades tracing his hide. He couldn't bear two minutes of just walking from town, so he had to break into a gallop to get to warmth quick. His frame trembled as he reached into his saddlebag and dug his house key out, unlocking his front door and rushing inside before shutting the door behind him.

"S-Sweet Luna…" Bright shivered, shaking off the snow from his fur.

His house wasn't much warmer, but that wasn't anything a fire in the pit couldn't fix. He trotted to the lamp set on the table by the living room sofa and flipped the switch, flooding the house with some light.

"Iv-vory? A-Are you h-home?" Bright called out in a frozen stutter while he started on building the fire.

"Hey, Bright…" Ivory appeared, drifting through air from up the stairs to the second floor. She sounded glum in her voice and was less than her usual vibrant self. Bright didn't have to guess why.

"You left pretty fast earlier. I missed you the rest of the day." He mentioned as he built a wood pile over some kindling.

"I thought it would be better to not be around while you were working. You know I wouldn't want you to look like a loon in front of everypony else," Ivory sprawled herself, belly down, on the sofa, with her head on the arm rest. She let out a silent sigh. "Gosh, my afterlife is so messed up. Why do keep me around, Bright?"

Bright lit a match and sparked a flame that he used to light the kindling. The flame began to spread. "Because y-you're my friend and I care about you." He answered.

"But...is that really enough for you? Is keeping me as your friend really worth exposing yourself?" She worried, gazing at Bright as he gazed back at her. "I just...I remember when you were in school in Canterlot. You got picked on and bullied so much back then just for seeing me and other ghosts. I'd never wish for you to go through that again."

"That's in the past now, Ivory. I'm not schoolcolt anymore. I can fend for myself." Bright assured. He walked toward the sofa and sat on his haunches next to Ivory. "Don't hide yourself from me just because I'm in public. Sure, I can't talk as freely with you, but I'll be fine. I promise."

She lifted her head and turned to him. Her face was filled with concern, but when she saw Bright's expression suddenly twist into a goofy, cross-eyed, puffy-cheeked grin, Ivory laughed. "Ha! Haha! I'm gonna hold you to that promise, Moon Moon!"

"Heh. Love you, boo." Bright lifted his hoof in front of Ivory, to which she responded by pressing her ghostly hoof against it.

"Love you, too."

* * *

Bright gave a big yawn as walked into his room. His body felt spent and his hooves were barely able to support him. At least he was warmed up from the fire and from his hot meal of steamed bluegrass and roasted oats. Now, he was ready to turn in for the night...

That is until Ivory popped her head in from the floor below.

"Don't forget to write your dad, Bright!" She reminded.

Bright's drooping eyes opened up a bit as he recalled that he wanted to thank his father for the shovel. "Oh, right. Thanks, Ivory. Have a good night," He murmured tiredly.

"Good night, sleepyhead," She giggled as she disappeared under the floorboards.

Bright smiled as he walked up to his nightstand and opened the drawer with his aura, pulling out a piece of parchment, a quill, and an inkwell. He climbed onto his bed, lying belly down, and grabbed one of his books sitting on the nightstand to use as support while he wrote. He thought for a moment about how to start, then dipped his quill in the ink before he began scribbling.

 _Dear Dad,_

 _Hoping this letter reaches you before you leave for Prance. Things are pretty great so far here in Ponyville. I'm working at Princess Twilight's castle as a librarian and we're going to be opening to the public this coming Monday. We've been busy as bees shelving all the books she has. Trust me. She has thousands._

Bright chuckled internally, then decided to move on to the main reason for the letter.

 _Also, I wanted to thank you again for the snow shovel. I really needed it this morning. We got about foot of snow the previous night. But wow! The outdoors look so beautiful covered in all that crystal white slush. Maybe when you come by later this winter, we could go for a sleigh ride around town. Or we could build an igloo outside the house._

He could still feel that inner colt coming out thinking about snow. It was funny. As a pony who grew up without seeing much snow before, being able to experience it in full force was something that made him want to relive his foalhood. He felt a tickle in his throat and cleared it up.

 _I've been sort of missing you for the holidays. They're still a week away, but this is my favorite time of year and I'm just a little down that I won't be home with you, Uncle Ganymede, Summer Bossa and everypony else. We'll just have to do something big next year!_

Bright's smile faded slightly. He started feeling homesick again, but then he remembered Big Mac and the time they had today. The thought lifted him back up.

 _I think I made a new friend these past few days. His name's Big Macintosh and he works on the local apple farm. He's a really nice guy and a great listener. Maybe I'll introduce you._

Bright's eyelids grew heavy. He wanted to finish before he began to nod off. Then he felt something phlegming up his his throat and he coughed. That woke him a bit.

 _Anyway, hope the conference goes well. I'll see you in the New Year. I love you._

 _Always your starry-eyed colt,_

 _Bright Sight_

With another yawn signaling his need to sleep, Bright rubbed his eye with a fetlock while he used his magic to leave the ink and quill in the drawer and the letter and book on the nightstand. Then, he dug himself under the covers of his bed, getting comfy and cozy before an uncomfortable tickle ran up his nose.

"A-Ah...Ah. AH-CHOO!" He sneezed. Bright sniffled a bit as he rested his head on his pillow. He touched his forehead with his hoof. Slightly warm.

"Horsefeathers…"


	4. Under the Snowstorm

"Land's sake, Big Mac! It's so cold today!" Applebloom complained as she and Big Mac left the farm early the next morning. She had bundled up as best as she could with her pink sweater and hat, yet was still feeling chilly.

"Applejack told ya you'd need those clothes," He chuckled. He was still dressed in his sweater and scarf from yesterday.

"Can Ah ride on you to school? Ya always feel so warm." She pleaded, looking up at her brother with big sad eyes. It wasn't necessary because Big Mac was quick to scoop Applebloom up with his teeth and place her on his back. She smiled as she wrapped her forelegs around Mac's thick neck and nestled against his comfy body.

The snowfall had stopped sometime during the night before, but the skies above Ponyville remained very dull and grey. It was still as cold as a Wendigo's gale and Cloudsdale's weather forecast in today's newspaper reported that a snowstorm was scheduled for tonight.

"Sweetie Belle said that she has a lot planned for our sleepover! We're gonna play some board games and watch movies and have lots of fun!" Applebloom chimed in excitement.

"Sounds like an amazin' time, Sugarcube." Big Mac smiled softly. The walk to the schoolhouse wasn't a long one, as usual, since the school stood beside the road just before entering Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres. The two siblings arrived with time to spare.

"Hey, Applebloom!" A bright young voice called out. It came from Sweetie Belle, who was galloping over from the playground with Scootaloo, both of them beaming at the sight of their remaining Crusader.

"Hey, girls!" Applebloom waved before she hopped down from Big Mac's back. "Thanks fer walkin' me, big brother! I'll see ya at home!" She hollered back to Mac as she ran off to the playground to enjoy the time she had with her best friends before their class started.

Big Mac inhaled and sighed in content, happy to see his little sister joining with her tightly knit circle. Then after a minute of watching Applebloom play, he turned around to head back to the farm.

"Oh, Big Mac! Good morning!" Big Mac's ears perked as he shifted his sight back to the schoolhouse, following the voice of an adult female. It came from a purple mare, who was waving at him from the door. He gave a smile as he trotted over to greet her.

"Mornin', Miss Cheerilee."

"My apologies for stopping you, but I wanted to give you some little Hearth's Warming presents to deliver to your family. I hope that's no trouble." She offered.

"Nnope. That's alright." Big Mac accepted with a nod.

"Wonderful! Just let me grab them." She trotted inside the schoolhouse and then quickly returned with a stack of three tiny boxes, each one decorated with some festive wrapping paper and all neatly tied with a bow. The three gifts had a tag, listing who each was for: one for Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Applejack. "And don't worry about Applebloom's. I'll give her gift to her tomorrow with all the gifts I have for the class." She grinned.

"Thank ya kindly, Cheers." Big Mac welcomed the generosity as he took the gifts with a hoof.

"You're welcome...Sugar Bear." Cheerilee teased with a smirk curving her lips. Big Mac could feel his cheeks grow red from slight embarrassment, being reminded of that love poison incident.

"Aw, shucks! Don't joke about that." He laughed, pressing his free fetlock on his forehead. Cheerilee held a hoof to her mouth as she giggled.

"Have a great day today, Big Mac." She bade farewell as she trotted back into the schoolhouse.

Big Mac was still chuckling to himself as he started walking back home to the farm. He thought back to that Hearts and Hooves Day. _Heh. What a day that was._ Big Mac remembered being absolutely head-over-hooves in love with Cheerilee, unable to keep his eyes off of her, feeling his heart flutter and skip when she smiled, even calling her a whole catalogue of extremely saccharine-saturated names. _Ugh...Schmoopie doo…_ He cringed at the thought.

Big Mac was definitely glad the poison wore off before they actually had gotten through with that marriage. Cheerilee was a fine and beautiful mare, of course, but she wasn't the "one" for him. Just a friend. Though, he wondered when he'd know who that "one" was. Big Mac knew there was certainly a pick of some attractive fillies in town and he did catch himself glancing their way a few times, but he didn't have much courage to ask for the time of day.

He shook his head as he continued on, returning to the farm. _One day, Macintosh. One day…_

* * *

Even if the wintertime was the slowest season for the Apple Family, Big Mac was at least grateful that he could have some more personal time to hang out with Spike whenever he wasn't busy assisting Twilight. It was good fun to hole themselves up in his room and play some Ogres and Oubliettes. Perhaps today would be a good day for a few hours of adventure. It was still mid morning and Big Mac didn't have anything else to do until the late afternoon.

Trudging through Ponyville was a bit of trek with all the snow that fell overnight. Half the town was blanketed in slush that was half a foot tall. The other half only barely had the streets plowed. With the winter starting this heavy, Big Mac wondered if he should have worn snow boots today, thinking that his hooves might go numb if he stayed out any longer. Luckily for him, he saw he was already nearing Twilight's castle, which made him sigh in relief.

Big Mac stepped up the golden stairway to the front door and stomped the snow off his fetlocks before he gave a few knocks on the door. In not much time, the door was answered by Twilight.

"Good morning, Big Mac." She greeted with a smile. "Are you here to see Spike?"

"Eeyup." He nodded in reply.

"Well, come on in. He's helping out in the library." Twilight invited as she stepped aside to allow Big Mac inside. The first thing he noticed was that Twilight's horn was carrying a few large stacks of books with her and as the two of them walked down the hallway, he saw her organizing each stack very intricately. Big Mac thought that she and Spike must be really busy getting everything ready before opening next week. Then he remembered that Bright should be here too. Big Mac felt a warmth melt away the frigid cold that lingered on his fetlocks. He couldn't help but let a small smile curve the corners of his mouth.

Then he paused. He remembered having this feeling before: during the love poison incident. However this time, it was a simple flutter of the heart, and not as wildly intense as it was then.

Big Mac pondered. _...What am Ah feelin'?_ He liked Bright. He was the first new friend Big Mac had made in a long time. But was it possible that he was starting to have a crush on a stallion?

Big Mac snapped out of his thoughts when they arrived at the library. Twilight let Big Mac enter first before following suit. He looked up and around at the shelves. Most were stocked and organized, leaving only a few empty ones scattered around. However, it didn't seem like Bright was anywhere to be found.

"Hey, Big Mac!" Spike waved from across the room. He was in the middle of helping Starlight Glimmer with another stack of books, but he was quick to scurry over to him. "Did you come for another one of our…" Spike turned his head and glanced at Twilight and Starlight. "...super top secret meetups?" Both mares smirked and rolled their eyes.

Big Mac snickered and crouched down to whisper to him. "Eeyup."

"I'd love to play!" Spike chimed as he hopped in excitement, but quickly, that energy subsided. "Well, I would, but Twilight and Starlight really need me to help with the library."

"It's true, Big Mac." Twilight stepped in. "I had to send Bright, our librarian, home today. You've met him, right?"

Big Mac's ears perked. "Eeyup. Why?" He asked.

"He's not really well today. He came in feeling somewhat okay, but within the hour, he was sniffling, coughing up a storm, and stumbling from dizziness. I had to call for a carriage to take him home." She explained.

"Best not to spread germs on the books before opening." Starlight added, while she used her aura to lift a row of books into another shelf. "But he has already done most of the work over the week. We can do the rest."

Though his face didn't show it, Big Mac dampened with concern.

"Anyway, I'm sorry that we can't hang out at the moment, Big Mac." Spike apologized.

"Need help? Ah ain't got much to do anyway." He offered.

"That would be great! With four of us, we could finish shelving the rest of these books." Twilight smiled, clapping her hooves with delight.

The four split up into two teams: Spike and Big Mac working on organizing the books into stacks and Twilight and Starlight lifting the stacks onto the shelves with their magic. With still hundreds more books left, the work was a bit dull and repetitive, but Big Mac was content with having Spike's company. They talked and laughed amongst themselves about the upcoming hoofball season and about their next Guy's Night.

"It's going to be busy for me every day up until after Monday. Maybe we can have our next Guy's Night on Tuesday night. Twilight's going to be going out to dinner with the other girls before Hearth's Warming." Spike suggested as he tossed a tome to Big Mac.

"Sounds good." He nodded, placing the book on another stack.

"I'll be sure to ask Discord-I mean, 'Captain Wuzz', if he wants to join us." Spike giggled a bit.

"Eeyup." Big Mac grinned.

Then, Twilight and Starlight approached the two for another set of books.

"Here you go, ladies! Another row of mystery novels, organized and alphabetized!" Spike presented with a pat on the bindings of the stack. However, he wasn't prepared for the books falling over, messing up his and Mac's last bit of work. "Whoops…"

The two mares laughed a bit and Twilight swiftly picked up the fallen novels, restacking them. "That's alright, Spike." She assured before turning her head to Big Mac. "Big Mac, there are some spell books on the main desk. Could you pick those up too?"

"Eeyup." He accepted as he stood up and walked over to the desk near the entrance. Sure enough, there were some scattered tomes resting on it. He gathered them together, one by one, with his hooves, though he wished he could just levitate them all at once with a unicorn horn. He internally sighed. Then, as he pulled in another book,…

 _PLAP!_

...something fell to the floor. "Hmm?" Big Mac looked down and saw a small blue faux leather journal. It must've been caught under the book he reached for. _What's a journal doing with a buncha books?_ He picked up and inspected it. It appeared to be worn and weathered a bit, with ink blotches splattered on the cover and some scratches and tears on the hard edges. Big Mac opened the journal to the first page. On the backside of the cover was some writing.

" _This_ _jernle_ _journal is_ _popurty_ _property of Bright Galileo Sight. Poems of a Stargazer"_

 _This is Bright's._ Big Mac thought. _Must have forgotten it when he went home…_

The writing looked like a foal's scribbling, however the misspelled words were crossed out and revised. The last phrase seemed to have been added slightly more recently, judging by the not-as-faded ink.

" _Age:_ _7_

 _8_

 _9_

 _10_ _..."_

The crossed chronology of his age continued and with each year gone, Bright's quillmanship gradually transformed from a little colt's scratches to some very neat strokes.

" _..._ _20_

 _21"_

Big Mac felt himself smile a bit as he looked to the first page.

" _August 26th, 1002_

 _Dad's took me with him to the ozervatory tonight. He wanted to show me the shooting stars. There were so many in the sky and I made a wish on one. I wished I could meet Mom. Dad said she was in the stars watching me. I blew her a kiss."_

He felt a pang of sympathy in his heart. He remembered his conversation with Bright the night before and couldn't imagine what he must have felt growing up without a mom, though he could relate. Big Mac was reluctant to page through more of Bright's personal thoughts, but he was curious about what was the most recent thing he wrote. He flipped the journal up to the last written page.

" _December 16th, 1016_

 _Clouds hide the night sky_

 _And I wait for the snow's end_

 _Winter, be merciful"_

Big Mac didn't know too much about poetry, but he believed this one was a haiku. Bright wrote it just recently, on this past Tuesday. It seemed like he's patiently waiting for a clear night to stargaze.

"Big Mac! Where are those books?" Spike shouted from across the room, pulling Mac back to reality. He pulled the rest of the books together and balanced them on his hoof before walking over.

"Sorry." He apologized. Thinking more about the journal, Big Mac figured he should walk to Bright's home later and return his journal. Maybe, he could also check and see if he's feeling okay. That wouldn't be too strange, right? After all, Bright shouldn't be alone sick during this harsh winter.

Then came a thought. A memory. Big Mac remembered standing at the doorway of a bedroom in his home. The air was especially frigid. As cold as death. It brought a shiver down his spine, as if his body would freeze solid. He looked on at the bed, seeing two ponies resting. He wanted to walk closer, though his hooves were shaky and wanted to turn and run. Macintosh persevered and stood at the bedside. He gazed down at the bed and his parents were there, looking up at him. Their eyes were tired. Their complexions pale as ghosts. And yet, they both smiled at him, at peace.

Big Mac shook his head. His whole body quaked as a burst of a emotion rocked his core. That winter was the worst of his whole life. He wasn't going to let this one be just as bad. He had to see Bright and make sure he was okay.

 _Winter, be merciful…_

As much as Big Mac wished to head straight to Bright's home, he couldn't really shirk on his responsibilities. He still had the apple stand to run, but maybe he could have Applejack stay longer to run the stand the rest of the evening.

Snow had been falling from the sky since Big Mac left Twilight's castle that late afternoon. It wasn't hard falling, but it certainly was a warning of what was to come later tonight. He sped into a brisk trot as he entered town, making his way down to the marketplace. Icy flakes and slush crunched under his hooves and made his unshorn fetlocks soggy. It was cold and slightly uncomfortable for each step. That was one downside of a pony not grooming their fur regularly, but Big Mac wasn't one to to give a horseapple about how his fur looked.

Among the hustle and bustle of ponies in the market, Big Mac weaved through the busy street as best as he could, but with his large frame, he couldn't help but bump a mare or stallion with his broad shoulders every so often. After a few occasional apologetic nods, he found Applejack, running the stand.

"Heya, big brother!" She brightly sang with her usual enthusiasm. She waved to Big Mac as he approached. "Made some good sales today. Everypony's in the holiday spirit! Gotta say, it's pretty contagious." Applejack started, leaning against the stand. She was usually the one making most of the conversation between the two of them.

"AJ, Ah wanna ask a favor." Big Mac said, wanting to cut straight to the point.

Applejack's attention was divided when an earth mare came up to the stand to buy. Still, she listened to Big Mac. "Well, shoot."

"Will ya cover me the rest of the day? Ah got a friend who's sick from the cold and Ah wanna check on him." He explained.

"Spike?" Applejack guessed while she grabbed a half dozen apples from a barrel behind her.

"Nope."

"Caramel?"

"Nope. New pony. Name's Bright."

"Oh, yeah! From that party Pinkie threw a couple weeks ago. Hey, look at you, Mac, makin' new friends!" Applejack bumped Big Mac's shoulder playfully before tossing the apples in a paper bag and giving it to the mare, who promptly paid her bits. "Thank ya kindly!" Applejack waved. "Ah guess Ah could keep on workin' the stand. Might not be open too far into evenin' anyway, what with tonight's snowstorm and all."

"Thanks, Applejack." Big Mac smiled in thanks.

"Aww, it ain't nothin', Big Mac. Jus' be back home before the blizzard gets real bad."

Big Mac nodded and wrapped his foreleg around his sister for a quick hug before parting. He began to trot again down the road that he and Bright shared to get home a few nights. He remembered that he had only ever seen Bright's home once: at the welcome party. If memory served, his house should be a simple walk following the path opposite of the road to Sweet Apple Acres.

Big Mac thought back about the party. It was a pretty standard affair...Well, "standard" being used very loosely when it comes to one of Pinkie Pie's parties. He met Bright only once then, greeting him with nothing more than a simple hoofshake and a smile. The rest of the time, Big Mac remained off to the side, watching Applejack, Applebloom and their friends. Big parties weren't really his cup of tea and, at the time, he didn't really think much about Bright, seeing him as just another neighbor. He certainly never thought he'd be so anxious to make sure he was okay only a few weeks later.

Big Mac then realized he was on the outskirts of Ponyville and was able to see a lone house by the road. He recognized it as the one from the party and continued through the snow until he reached the front door. Without hesitation, Big Mac knocked four times. He tried listening hard to whatever was going on inside, but couldn't hear anything over the whistling of the icy wind. After a few more seconds, he was tempted to knock once more before there was a heavy coughing coming from within and the lock rustled. The door opened and there was Bright, bundled tightly in his jacket. That may have been because he was wearing layers of sweaters underneath. His forehooves were trembling a bit and he was looking slightly pale through his blue fur. His nose looked moist and his eyes were tired.

"Big Mac?" His voice came out nasally. "H-Hey! What are you doing here?"

Big Mac scratched the back of his head with a hoof, then immediately regretted it when he felt his mane grow cold and wet. He forgot his fetlocks were still soggy. "Ah...Uh...Ah heard ya weren't feeling good…Mind if Ah come in?" He asked.

"Well, I wouldn't want to get you sick, but it can't be much better outside. Come on in." Bright invited, stepping to the side before he had another coughing fit. It sounded phlegmy and unpleasant. "H-How did you hear I was sick?"

"Twilight told me." Big Mac answered as he entered. He looked down, seeing a rug to wipe his hooves on. "Also, ya left somethin' at the library."

Bright closed the door and then watched Big Mac pull his journal out from his sweater. Bright's eyes grew wide and his heart leapt into his throat.

"Sorry. Ah didn't have anywhere else to put it." Big Mac apologized. "A-And Ah sorta peeked inside…Again, sorry."

"Y-You...I-I.." Bright suddenly felt lightheaded. His body ached and his hooves felt like they were tied to hundred pound weights. He shuffled over to his couch to sit down and he rubbed his forehead with a shaky fetlock.

"Y-You okay, Bright?" Big Mac hesitated, unsure of what he could do to help him.

"I-I'm fine…" Bright took a deep breath. Big Mac passed the journal back to him and Bright held it with his magic, gazing at the cover fondly, but internally cursing himself. He coughed. "How much did you see?" Bright asked, embarrassed, his eyes shying away from Big Mac.

"Not much. Honest." Big Mac assured, sitting down on the recliner by the sofa. "Jus' the first page and the last thing ya wrote...I liked yer poem."

Bright skimmed through the pages of his journal to his last entry. He sighed softly and relaxed with a smile. "Thanks for bringing it back. You know, I wouldn't mind if anypony read most of what's in here, but there's just a few pages that are...a bit more personal."

"Ah understand." Big Mac nodded. "...Do ya write a lot?"

"On occasion. Mostly when I'm stargazing. I always feel something whenever I'm looking up at the night sky. Something that's hard to describe, but writing poems helps me express it." Bright explained with a raspiness in his voice. He felt another tickle in his nose and his eyes darted around wildly before he found the box of tissues he kept on the table by the couch. He was quick enough to pluck up two tissues and bring them to his muzzle before he sneezed. "AH-CHOO!"

"Bless you." Big Mac said.

"Ugh...Thank you…" Bright muffled a reply through his tissues. His nose was so stuffy that he needed another pair to blow. After clearing his nostrils, he tossed his waste over to a trash basket in the corner of the living room. "I guess I'm not quite used to the weather here. It doesn't get this cold at my old home."

Big Mac thought for a moment. "Ah know something that might help with yer cold. Mind if Ah look 'round yer kitchen?" He asked.

"Um, sure. Are you going to cook something?"

Big Mac stood up and could easily spot the kitchen just beyond the staircase to the second floor. "Eeyup. Ah know a recipe from my Granny that she cooks whenever my sisters or Ah catch somethin'." He said as he walked over and took a look around and instantly noticed the refrigerator in the farthest corner. "You have a refrigerator?"

Bright turned in his seat and covered his mouth with his hoof as he coughed again. "Y-Yeah. You don't?" He asked.

"Not for our kitchen at home. Just a bigger one in the barn for storin' the harvest." Big Mac replied as he searched the refrigerator. The recipe was pretty simple as far as what ingredients were needed and Big Mac didn't have too hard a time finding everything that he needed. He was glad that he didn't have to make a trip back to the market.

Meanwhile, Bright lied down on the couch, feeling too lightheaded and dizzy too stay up. His head throbbed and his nose felt like it could drip for hours. He used magic to grab more tissues for blowing. He pulled his legs closer to his body. Even with all the sweaters he was wearing, he was still shivering. He wished he had the strength to walk upstairs to the closet where he kept his extra blankets. Then, while he rested his eyes, he felt a thick sheet of warmth fall over him. He opened his eyes and saw a blanket swaddling him and Ivory hovering over him. She smiled and placed a hoof over her mouth, making a shushing gesture. She left Bright with a wink and phased through the ceiling to the second floor. Bright managed a smile, happy to know that Ivory was always around to look out for him. He bundled up in his blanket and grew comfortable. His eyes fell closed as he began to rest.

It felt like only a few minutes, but when Bright opened his eyes again, the living room was dark, with the only light coming from the fireplace. His nose felt stuffy again and he blew his nose into yet another tissue. With his passages cleared, he was able to smell something in the air. It was an aroma that took Bright back to when his dad was cooking in the kitchen and he was standing on the side watching. Another focused inhale helped him pick up the distinct scent of steamy vegetables in a robust broth.

Bright sat himself up with a bit of difficulty. Now his head was heavy and throbbed with a slight headache. He touched his forehead with his fetlock and felt his fur was moist with sweat. Then, he heard a faint howling of wind coming from outside the warm walls of his abode. The blizzard was raging. Bright stood up from the couch and saw Big Mac standing at the stove within the lit kitchen. He was stirring a pot of simmering stew before he looked over at Bright, seeing he was up. Big Mac then blurted a short laugh.

Bright cleared his throat. "What's so funny?" He asked. His voice was a little hoarse.

"Sorry...Just your mane." He apologized. Bright brushed his hoof over his head, feeling his mane was a bit wild and stiff.

"Heh...Bed head...How long was I out?"

"...Bit over an hour, Ah s'pose." Big Mac answered after thinking about it. "But ya woke up in time to have some of my Granny's stew. I'll serve it to ya."

Big Mac had found where Bright kept his plates and bowls and took a bowl out of the cupboard, scooping a healthy bit of stew. Bright sat himself down at the dining table right by the kitchen. Then, Big Mac walked over and set the bowl before Bright, along with a spoon.

"Hope ya like it." He said, returning to the kitchen to wash the utensils he used.

"Thanks." Bright smiled a bit at Big Mac before looking down at his stew, a collection of chopped carrots, potatoes, celery, and other vegetables in a thick red blend. One more whiff of its savory scent made his stomach grumble, which reminded him that he hadn't eaten at all since having a small breakfast this morning. Bright didn't wait another moment and scooped a hearty spoonful into his mouth. In an instant, a zesty sensation bounced around his tongue, perking him up. Bright couldn't help but smile again as he chewed, closing his eyes and savoring the flavor.

"This is great!" He chimed after swallowing that first mouthful. He was quick to enjoy another spoon.

"Yeah. First bite always made me feel better too." Big Mac replied as he scrubbed down the cutting board.

"I can't say 'thanks' enough for this. You really didn't have to go to the trouble."

"Ah wanted to."

Bright felt his insides jump in delight. He couldn't remember the last time somepony did something so kind for him. There certainly wasn't anybody like Big Mac and Bright was more than glad to have him as a friend.

After a few minutes, Bright was able to finish the rest of his bowl. Getting up from his seat at the table, he carried his dish with his violet aura and walked over to the sink, sniffling a bit since his nose became stuffed again.

"Ah can wash that for ya." Big Mac offered.

"No no, it's fine. I can do it." Bright assured, his voice slightly nasal. He had to rip a paper towel from a roll to blow his nose clear before he could start washing.

"Yer cheeks are lookin' a little red. Are ya sure yer okay?" Big Mac asked.

Bright wasn't feeling too feverish at the moment, but after a second of thought, he realized he might have been blushing.

"Y-Yeah...I promise." He nodded, turning to the sink to wash. He coughed a bit. "Besides, you should have some of the stew too."

"It's gettin' awful late. My family's gonna wonder where Ah am. 'Sides, Ah jus' wanted to leave you some for the next couple days. It helps to clear up yer cold faster."

"I see." Bright finished cleaning his bowl and spoon. He took a breath and returned to face Big Mac. "Let me show you to the door then." He beamed softly. "Thanks again for everything." He added as the two of them made the short walk to the front door.

"Anytime, Bright." Big Mac smiled before he opened the front door.

What he wasn't expecting was to be greeted by a wall of snow that stood nearly as high as the doorway. A small snowy gust burst inside.

"Oh, horsefeathers…" "Aw, horseapples…" Both stallions muttered. Big Mac then closed the door to keep the cold out. Bright retreated to the kitchen, where there was another door, leading to his backyard. He peeked out, seeing another wall of snow trapping them inside.

"...We're snowed in."

"My family's gonna be worried sick! Ah didn't think the snow woulda piled up that fast." Big Mac fretted as he paced around a bit. "A-Ah'm real sorry, Bright."

"N-No, it's alright…" Bright had to pause to let out a sneeze. "A-Ah-CHOO!"

"Bless ya."

"Thanks...Y-You're more than welcome to stay the night. Call it my way of thanking you." Bright smiled.

"Ah appreciate it. Thank ya." Big Mac returned the smile.

Bright padded over to the fireplace and levitated another log into the pit to keep the flames going. He coughed rather hard and placed his foreleg over his mouth.

"I don't have much in the way of entertainment. I've got some books that I borrowed from the library...I mean, they're mostly about astromancy magic so maybe you wouldn't find it all that exciting." Bright shrugged as he sat back down on the couch.

"Actually," Big Mac sat opposite of Bright. "Ah think magic is kinda interestin'. To be honest, sometimes Ah dream about bein' a unicorn instead of an earth pony."

"Really?"

"Heh...E-Eeyup." Big Mac chuckled a bit. "Ah ain't ever admitted this to anypony before, but Ah wish Ah could do magic, shootin' beams and doin' spells like some sorta wizard warrior." He had a blush hidden under his red fur, feeling a bit exposed to Bright. "Ah bet that sounds kinda silly, doesn't it?"

"No, not at all!" Bright shook his head. He turned and leaned against the back of his seat, looking over at the bookshelf near his writing desk. Using his magic once more, he pulled out a couple of books and floated them over. "I think you'd really like these books. They're a fantasy adventure series about a unicorn who runs away from his home planet to escape a big catastrophe and makes friends with a dragon, a wolf, and an owl. They all go on a huge adventure to save their solar system from an evil tyrant!" Bright explained as he lent the first book to Big Mac.

Big Mac looked at the hardcover of the novel, which was illustrated with a sketched image of the unicorn protagonist and his friends against a backdrop of some alien planet. _Huh…"Terrastra Legends: Ties of the Moonstone."_ He read. He opened the book to the first page to begin reading.

Bright grinned a bit and decided to reread the second book in the series. A relaxing silence fell upon the room as the two of them read, only broken by Bright's occasional cough and sniffle. Big Mac was enthralled by the beginning of the story and found his eyes glued to every word. His imagination went wild visualizing each detail of the characters, the action, and the fantastical world. He even found ideas for some things that he could apply to his O&O persona, Sir McBiggin.

Time slipped away from Big Mac as hours passed. Then he was broken from his trance when he felt Bright suddenly leaning against his shoulder.

"Uh...Bright…?" He was about to tap him before he saw that Bright's eyes were closed, he was snoring softly, and his book slipped out of his hooves. Big Mac was at a loss for what to do, though he felt his heart race watching Bright sleep. His eyes scanned the living room until he found a clock hanging from the wall near the front door. _9:22 PM. Bit late…_ He wanted to let Bright lie down, but he didn't want to disturb his sleep.

Big Mac set his story aside on the couch side table. He took great care as he slowly scooted away from Bright, holding him with his hooves and lowering him gently until he was lying down comfortable on the couch, with his head nestled on a throw pillow. Bright's chipped ear twitched a little and he sniffled, hardly stirred. Then, Big Mac had him covered warm in his blanket. He sighed with the day's exhaustion catching up to him.

Big Mac heard the blizzard still howling outside. It was going to be a cold night. He wished he could have a blanket of his own to bundle up in. His sweater and the fire alone wouldn't be enough to keep him warm.

BUMP!

Something upstairs clattered enough to make Big Mac's heart jump, startled. It was quite a loud bump, which made him wonder if he and Bright were really alone. It couldn't possibly be somepony breaking in. Not in this weather. Big Mac raised a brow and decided to investigate, walking to the stairs and stepping up to the second floor. It was darker and it got more frigid the higher he stepped, but he could see a corner turning to the left at the top. Upon finishing the climb, he was able to see a light switch on the wall and after flicking it with his hoof, the hallway was lit. Big Mac could see that around the corner was an open door and at the foot of it was a folded, yet slightly ruffled, blanket. He looked inside the door and it was just a closet, with blankets, boxes, and clothes. The blanket on the floor must have fell from the inside, but it couldn't have made a bump that loud.

Big Mac scratched his head in confusion, but was too spent to think much on it. At least, he now had something to keep him warm tonight. He picked up the fallen blanket, closed the door to the closet, turned off the light and returned downstairs. A silent yawn crept out of his mouth as he turned off the remaining lights in the kitchen and living room. Then, Big Mac finally rested on the recliner near Bright's couch, wrapping himself up in the soft blanket. He sighed as he thought about how his family might be worried about him. He had to get back home first thing in the morning, as soon as the road was cleared of snow. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax and started to drift to sleep.

"...Thanks…"

Big Mac opened his eyes, hearing Bright mutter something. Bright was still sleeping, but he stirred in unrest, mumbling.

"...Thanks...Ivory…F-For the blanket…" He coughed up some phlegm and sniffled his nose. That was the only coherent thing Big Mac could discern from his sleep talk. From then on, Bright would mutter random words in his feverish delirium.

"...Ghosts…"

"...M-Mom…"

Big Mac wondered what Bright could've been dreaming about. He hoped that it wasn't a nightmare, though dreaming about his mom sounded pleasant, at least in a bittersweet way. He smiled and rested his head on the armrest of the recliner, closing his eyes again.

"…Buttercup…"

"...Nngh...Pear...Butter…"

Big Mac's eyes shot open again, this time in a shock. He stared at Bright, confusion and disbelief prominent on his normally stoic face. _That...can't be a coincidence. How does he know Mom's names!?_

Bright had a rude awakening the next morning when a sudden sneeze shocked him out of his slumber. He groaned while a headache made his head throb, prompting him to rub his temples with his hooves. His eyes slowly opened, still sensitive to the morning light from outside his window. He then noticed that he was sleeping on his couch in the living room. That was when Bright remembered what happened the previous night. At that instant, he sat up on the couch, wide awake.

"Big Mac?" He looked around the living room after rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. No sign of his friend. Then, Bright felt some moisture on his fetlock and on his face. Tears. _Was I crying?_ He asked himself. He got up to his hooves, wondering where Big Mac was. Then Bright noticed a plate of hay bacon and eggs and a tall glass of orange juice on the dining room table. He moved closer and saw a note sitting right by the plate.

" _Morning, Bright,_

 _Hope you slept alright last night. I had to leave as soon as the road was cleared to get home. I didn't want my family to worry too bad. Thank you kindly for your kindness and hospitality. Take care of yourself and I hope you feel better soon. I'd like to talk more with you..._

 _Your friend,_

 _Big Macintosh"_

Bright smiled at the note and he sat down to the breakfast that Big Mac left for him. As he started to eat, his mind lingered on him. Bright was sure that Big Mac was in a dream he had last night, but he couldn't remember the details. They fled away from his memory. Still, despite how much he trembled from his cold, Bright was warmed by the thought of how Big Mac cared so much to come to his home and check on him. He returned his journal and cooked him a delicious stew. It was also really nice to have him stay the night.

 _He's kind and caring. He's a wonderful friend._ Bright felt his cheeks grow warm and his heart beat free and gleefully. _I...really like him…_

Bright paused. _No…_ His breath hitched. _I-I can't...I can't have a crush on him!_ Emotion began to shake him. Love. Fear. Joy. Sorrow. His eyes welled up and he cried into his hooves. _Please, no! I don't want this to happen!_

 _Not again..._


	5. Burnt Bridges

Monday morning was the first clear and sunny day in a few days. The worst of the snow had come and gone, at least for now and the light of dawn on the remaining frost made the land glisten as it slowly melted.

Bright had awoken early, preparing for the library's opening day. His fever quickly passed over the weekend, and though some sniffles lingered in his system, Bright was feeling well enough to greet the day. He dug through his bedroom closet, searching for something nice to wear while Ivory was lying on his bed.

"Bright, I was wondering about something…" She shared.

"And what's that?" Bright stuck his head out of the closet. "Also, what do you think about this?" He held up a black and yellow plaid button shirt.

"Eww, no! That really doesn't fit you." Ivory critiqued, sticking her tongue out as if she was going to gag. "Why do you have that anyway?"

Bright looked at the shirt and contemplated. "I think it was a birthday gift from an aunt. She's a distant relative so she hadn't seen me since I was like four or five years old." He explained before going back into the closet.

"Anyway, I wanted to know if you could tell me why you were feeling kinda glum over the weekend. I mean, not just that you were sick, but you also seemed kinda...not yourself." Ivory frowned a bit, expressing her concern.

The sound of hangers being pushed aside on a rack stopped for a moment. Bright stood there inside the closet, frozen, unable to think of how to explain it away.

"Bright?" Ivory called softly, her voice riddled with worry.

"Um...Well...can you promise to keep a secret?" He peeked out, meekly, asking barely above a whisper.

"Of course. Cross my heart." She reassured with a smile, drawing an "X" over her chest.

"...I...I have a crush on Big Mac…" Bright confessed.

Ivory stared blankly at him, processing what she just heard. Then, the next thing Bright knew, he was caught in a ghostly whirl as Ivory spun him around on his tail while hugging him.

"OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!" She squealed in brilliant excitement and delight.

"Iiieeeiiieeeiiivory! Stooop!" Bright pleaded, growing dizzy.

After a moment, Bright came to a halt. His eyes spun before he shook his head to recover from his dizziness. He rubbed his flank to soothe a bit of the burn he got from the carpet. "Ow…"

"Bright, why didn't you tell me that you liked stallions in all this time!?" Ivory beamed.

"...So...you don't think it's...weird or anything?" He asked, shyly.

"What? Of course not! Sure, I might be a little miffed because we could have been fawning over guys, like, forever ago!" She laughed before stopping abruptly. "But wait. Why does your crush make you feel all depressed?"

Bright gave a short sigh as he continued to look through his closet. "Because, Ivory, there's no chance in Tartarus that Big Mac would even like me that way."

"Aww, come on, Bright! You don't know that. Look at how fast you made friends with him. What if he likes stallions too?" She appealed.

"What if he doesn't, Ivory!?" Bright suddenly snapped with a stomp of his hoof. He made Ivory flinch. "What's gonna happen if I tell him how I feel and he doesn't like me back?" His eyes had an affrighted stare to them. His voice trembled. "What if Big Mac gets a-angry at me bec-cause I'm a…" Bright stopped. He felt his eyes burn as they welled up and his legs were violently tremorring.

Ivory had never seen Bright so haunted with distraught. It was a side to him that she hadn't ever known. "...Bright?"

He sat down on the ground and looked at his shaky hooves. Bright took a slow, deep breath and his trembling stopped. He wiped his eyes with a fetlock. "...Sorry, Ivory." He apologized. "I just...can't tell Big Mac anything. Ever. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"I'm sorry, Bright…" She rested on the bed once more, shuffling her hooves.

"No, don't be. It's alright…" He earnestly assured. "I'm gonna keep on looking for something to wear."

Bright went back into his closet in silence. Ivory was puzzled as to why he felt so strongly about avoiding his feelings. She breathed a sigh and left it alone for now. She knew that Bright would tell her when he was ready. Bright searched through the clothes he hadn't tried, but his mind was stuck on Big Mac. He shook his head.

 _He's just my friend. Nothing more…_

* * *

It was completely crowded in front of Twilight's castle later that morning. Bright stood among the gargantuan audience and he was quite baffled at the turn out for the opening. There must have been ten thousand or so ponies, all coming from around Equestria.

 _All this for a library? Wow...I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of books checked out today._ He thought.

Twilight was front and center before the crowd and stood right by a ribbon that was neatly tied and placed at the base of the golden steps. She held with her aura a large pair of scissors.

"Welcome, everypony! I stand before you today, thrilled to unveil this new library. You see, when I was a young filly, I have always had a love of learning and education…"

Bright tuned out of Twilight's speech for a bit when he felt that his sunshine-yellow bowtie was a bit loose. He readjusted it with magic and brushed his night-blue button shirt with a fetlock. He was quite pleased with the outfit Ivory helped him choose, especially since the weather wasn't very cold today. His clothes were comfortable and he felt good about how he looked. He even brushed his mane to look more neat and formal. Bright knew he'd meet a lot of ponies today and he wanted to make a good impression.

Bright looked around at everypony who surrounded him. And noticed that there were a good number of ghosts accompanying some of them. He smiled and his gaze wandered until his eyes fell upon a red stallion that was standing some ten ponies to his left. Bright felt his muscles tighten up a bit and his chest beat hard. It was Big Mac, wearing nothing but a farmer's yoke around his neck.

Bright internally groaned as he tried to focus back on Twilight. His heart ached, feeling like it was being crushed under a giant block of granite. Big Mac is an amazing pony and friend, but Bright tormented himself with the question "Why?" Why did it have to be Big Mac that he had to crush on? Why couldn't he just like a mare for a change? Why did he have to be attracted to stallions? _It's just not bucking fair…_

Then, Bright's eye was caught by something else. He saw a brilliant yellow earth stallion with Big Mac's likeness hovering right next to him. _Wait...What the…?_ Bright thought he was seeing double for a moment and he blinked a few times before looking again. That ghost was still there. He was a bit taller than Big Mac and he had messy red mane that was about the same shade as a delicious apple, all kept under a cowboy hat.

Bright was dumbfounded at the resemblance between the ghost and Big Mac and he found himself staring at the two of them. _Is that...Big Mac's dad?_ Then, Big Mac shifted his attention in Bright's direction and spotted him among the crowd. He smiled softly and waved at him. Bright was caught by surprise and he blushed a bit before he waved back with a grin that was more forced than natural. Then, when he looked again for the other stallion, he vanished. It probably wouldn't be the last time Bright would see him.

He gave a short sigh. _Being his friend is good enough, right?_ He asked himself. _There's no chance he'd like me anyway, but...being his friend would be better...At least...better than last time…_

"...and so without further adieu, the Ponyville Library is now open!" Twilight announced as she cut the ribbon with her scissors. At that moment, blasts of confetti rocketed into the air before raining down on the stomping and applauding crowd.

* * *

"Enjoy the book!" Bright smiled as he passed a stamped book to a grateful young filly.

The library was pretty full of ponies. Many from the opening ceremony had gone away after the ribbon was cut. Perhaps they had only arrived for a glimpse or photo of the Princess of Friendship, but still, there were a lot who stayed to browse the selection. In fact, to keep the library from being overcrowded, there was a line for ponies to enter whenever somepony left. Spike kept track of the everypony in line while Twilight and Starlight helped Bright with checking out books. Seeing stallions, mares, and foals exploring the shelves and paging through each book clearly made Twilight extremely happy, because she had a huge grin cemented on her face since the doors opened.

Bright was scribbling a record of the book that was just borrowed when a hoof tapped on his desk.

"Howdy, Bright…"

He lifted his heterochromatic eyes and saw Big Mac standing there, holding a book that he intended to check out.

"Hey there, Big Mac." He greeted with a shy grin.

Big Mac had hoped to see Bright here at the opening and he was glad that his friend was fairing worlds better than when he saw him last. He noticed Bright's attire better than he did from afar and he looked admirably handsome. He felt his heart skip and Big Mac once again wondered how Bright, of all ponies, gave him this fluttering feeling in his chest. Was it how quickly he connected with him over the past week? Was it how Bright's eyes lit up with life whenever he talked about magic, astronomy, or poetry?

He didn't know for sure, but there was one thing that was bugging Big Mac for the past few days: how was Bright dreaming about Buttercup, his mother, that night they were snowed in? It couldn't possibly be coincidence that he muttered both her nickname and her given name. Maybe Bright had met her in the past, but as far as Big Mac knew, Bright had lived in Coltifornia his whole life and never once did Buttercup and Bright Macintosh ever travel that far west. It was an impossible thing that Big Mac couldn't wrap his head around, but Bright had to have the answer.

"What book are you going to borrow?" Bright asked.

Big Mac wanted to ask him about his mother, but he couldn't form the words. "A-Ah...uh...Th-This one." He stuttered as he placed the book on the desk before Bright. It was "Terrastra Legends", the book that he let Big Mac read that night. Bright's eyes widened a bit and a delighted smile curved his mouth.

"Oh, you're going to read the rest of the book?" He asked.

Big Mac chuckled a little. "Eeyup...Ah really liked it…" _Come on, Macintosh. Just ask!_ _Well, what am Ah gonna say? "Hey, Bright! What do you know about my dead mom?"_ He fought with himself.

"I'm really glad. It's a great series! I can't wait to see how it ends." Bright scribbled with his quill into a notebook, then stamped the novel before passing it back to Big Mac. That was when Bright saw the ghost stallion from before standing beside his son. He was looking at Big Mac with a puzzled and concerned expression before he looked at Bright. Their gazes locked for a couple seconds, then the ghost looked around the vicinity before turning back to Bright.

"...Can you...see me?" He asked with a strong country accent, only his voice was lighter than his Big Mac's heavy bass.

"...Are ya alright, Bright?" Big Mac asked. He looked at Bright, with slight confusion.

"E-Er...Yeah! Yeah, just fine." Bright answered back to him, nodding rather hard as he shifted his sight back to the ghost.

"What are ya looking at…?" Big Mac turned his head around to see whatever Bright was seeing.

"N-Nothing! Just...thought I saw something…A-Anyway, enjoy the book!" Bright quickly dismissed as he nudged the book closer to Big Mac.

"Really? You can see me!? Aw, shucks! Maybe you can help me!" The stallion grinned widely as he leaned over the desk, almost in Bright's face. Bright flinched and moved a bit away for some breathing room.

"Wait...Ah wanted to ask ya something." Big Mac searched for the words to say, rattling his brain. Usually, he was too good at getting straight to the point whenever he wanted to speak, but for some reason, with Bright, he felt afraid that he might upset him, like back at the coffee shop. Still, Big Mac wanted to know whatever Bright knew. He mustered his courage. "Ah...uh...Do ya know anything about somepony named Buttercup or Pear Butter?"

"U-Uh...Can you hold that thought, Big Mac? I gotta...go to the bathroom!" Bright excused himself as he got up from his seat and swiftly galloped out of the library.

"A...Alright…" Big Mac blinked. _Ah wasn't expecting that response...Bright...are you hidin' something…?_ He pondered while he waited.

Bright cantered out into the castle halls searching for a quiet spot to be alone. He didn't hear Big Mac's question. His mind was more occupied on the ghost that followed him into the nearest restroom. Bright locked the door to ensure privacy so that he could talk freely.

"Gosh, Ah'm sorry about the bother, fella." The stallion apologized, rubbing the back of his head. "Guess Ah didn't think that seein' a pony talk to a ghost might not look normal for most folk."

"It's alright. You're not the first." Bright have a short chuckle as he leaned on the sink and started the water to wash his hooves. "You're Big Mac's dad, aren't you? What's your name?"

"Bright Macintosh Apple. Pleasure to meet ya! And Ah already know yours, Bright. Ain't that a coincidence, having the same name?" He grinned. "You can just call me 'Bright Mac', if ya like."

"So what's your trouble, Bright Mac?" Bright asked.

"It's my wife. Ah've been lookin' everywhere for her, but Ah haven't seen her in a few days. Maybe you've seen her? Her name's Pear Butter, but Ah call her my sweet Buttercup." Bright Mac explained as he gave a small blush that reddened his pale cheeks.

Bright stopped the sink water and dried his hooves with a nearby towel. "Hmm...I don't think I recognize her name...What does she look like?"

"Aw, she's got the finest peach colored coat you'd ever see and a cute curly orange mane and tail and...gosh...the prettiest bluish-green eyes, like two pools of water on a sunny summer day. Oh! And she has a jar of pear butter for a cutie mark." Bright Mac sighed and giggled to himself a bit.

Bright pondered that description for a moment. He was sure that he had seen somepony like that once. He paced around the bathroom, then something clicked.

"Does she have her mane tied up with some green ribbons?" Bright asked.

"She does! So you know where she is!?" Bright Mac leaned in closer to Bright.

"I remember I saw Buttercup in a dream I had a few days ago! Maybe she wandered her way into my sleep." He chimed, but then his grin faded as quickly as it came. "Buuut, I don't remember most of the dream now."

"Ah, dagnabbit!" Bright Mac slumped onto the floor, crossing his hooves. "Pardon my French, Bright. Ain't there anything you can remember about her?"

Bright sat down and searched his memory as best as he could. "She...She was telling me something about a grand pear in Vanhoover, I think. It was a dream so I don't think it made much sense."

"Oh!" Bright Mac sat upright. "Maybe she left to Vanhoover to see her dad and the rest of the Pear Family! Well, she coulda told me back in Apploosa before skedaddling!" He gave a short laugh. "But that's just like her. Always acting with her heart. That's what I love about her."

Bright smiled, happy at the thought of a mare and stallion still completely in love, even in the afterlife. _Love._ That word only traced him a path back to Big Mac. He shook his head, trying to steer his mind to anything else. "A-Are you and Buttercup mostly attached to your family here?" Bright asked.

"Actually, both of us like to roam around Equestria and visit all branches of the Apple Family. Most of the time we do stay and watch over our kids, but we also like to see how our cousins from all over are doin'." Bright Mac shared. "Y'know, it's really nice actually talking to somepony who's alive. Ah think we're gonna be real good friends, Bright. Anyway, Ah've taken up enough o'your time. Ah should get back to Li'l Mac."

"It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope you find Buttercup really soon." Bright wished as he unlocked the bathroom door and proceeded to trot back to the library. Then he remembered that he had left Big Mac waiting at the desk, which made Bright quicken his step. _Oh, geez! I'm a bonehead! I'm a bonehead!_ He thought.

When he arrived at his desk, Bright didn't see Big Mac where he left him. He looked around the library, still full of ponies, but he couldn't spot a familiar shade of red.

"Are you looking for Big Mac, Bright?" Twilight asked from the nearby desk after passing a book to a stallion.

"Yeah. Do you know where he is?" Bright replied, still looking around while he was worriedly trotting in place.

"I'm sorry, but we had to ask him to leave to give the other ponies in line a chance to see the library." She apologized.

"Oh...I see." Bright's ears drooped flat. _I can't believe I just left him like that...I wonder what he wanted to tell me._ He sighed softly, but reassured himself that he'd see Big Mac again. Though, he did worry if he'd be a bit sour when they would meet. Regardless, Bright still had to get back to his work. He sat down and continued where he left off.

However, he couldn't shake Big Mac from his mind.

* * *

The sun was long gone by the time Bright and Twilight closed the library for the day. The grand opening was wonderfully busy, but Bright was also glad to be done for the day. He stepped outside of the castle and looked up at a clear dark purple sky, dotted with a treasure trove of twinkling stars. A warm feeling embraced him, despite the evening chill, and he grew excited, longing to get home quickly and set up his telescope.

Without further thought, he began his brisk trot home, passing by the familiar town. Hearth's Warming Eve was only two days away, so everypony was busy in the streets making their last-minute-shopping stops. Bright thought about what he might do when the holiday came. _Maybe I'll just spend the day in town. Twilight did say that there would be a festival going on. Oh! And I should give Twilight, Starlight, Big Mac, and Spike their presents tomorrow too._ Bright beamed thinking about the look on his friends' faces when they open their gifts.

As he walked, Bright soon saw the apple stand as he walked through the market and there was Big Mac, hooking up to his cart as he closed for the day.

"Big Mac!" Bright called.

The farmer turned his head and saw his friend trotting up to him.

"Bright…" Big Mac's eyes widened a bit and grew a smile on his face. Seeing that gave Bright great relief about how they left off earlier.

"I'm really sorry about how I disappeared at the library today." He apologized. "I didn't know that you'd have to leave so soon."

"S'alright…" Big Mac nodded. "Wanna walk?" He asked, gesturing to their usual route home.

"Of course." Bright grinned.

The both of them started down the road, side by side. The air was cool, the ground under their hooves was mostly dry, and all was quiet and calm. In fact, it was unusually quiet for a good while. Bright would usually start leading a conversation at this point. Big Mac glanced his way and saw his head was turned away, but his ears were folded flat. He wanted to speak up and ask, but again, like earlier, he couldn't work up anything to say in his head. It was like anything he thought of to ask would just sound stupid. Big Mac softly groaned in self-frustration.

"Something wrong, Big Mac…?" Bright asked, turning his head to him.

 _Aw, hay! Was Ah that loud?_ "N-Nothin'..."

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Ah...well..." Big Mac hesitated. His heart pounded as his gaze rested solely on Bright. The way his mane was neatly curving ever so slightly above his heterochromatic eyes. How starlight glistened against the cobalt and amethyst hues of his irises. The slight twitch of his torn ear. Just...all of Bright was a sight that Big Mac froze up over. He shook his head.

"Argh...Ah jus' don't get it, Bright." He growled. "Ah look at you and Ah can't think of what the hay to say. There's somethin' about ya that Ah jus' can't figure out."

Bright didn't understand what Big Mac meant. He raised a brow in question. Big Mac took a breath and looked down at his hooves as he walked. His stomach lurched, like it was twisted and tied up in knots. He remembered his father and some of his words of advice from years past.

" _Be brave, be strong, and speak your mind, son. It ain't ever a shame to be honest."_

Big Mac slowed his walk to a halt, digging his hoof a bit into the ground.

"Ah...Ah like ya, Bright…" He finally spoke.

Bright stopped and blinked. He turned to face Mac directly. "What do you mean…?"

"Ah mean, like, you're my friend, but also like...like Ah care about you as more than a friend." Big Mac could swear his chest was making his whole body rock. "You're...great...and Ah like being around ya."

Bright stared blankly at Big Mac. _Is this real…? Am I dreaming? Does he really like me..._ that _way?_ He thought. He wanted to say something, but now he couldn't find the words. He only stared in disbelief, like the impossible suddenly became possible.

"...But there's something that was buggin' me over the weekend." Big Mac continued. "When you were sick, you were mumblin' things in your sleep. A-Ah just wanna know...Do you know _anything_ about a mare named Buttercup? Or Pear Butter?" He pleaded.

Bright snapped out of his daze when the question was asked. _He knows about the dream? I guess...I must've been sleep talking when Buttercup came...But I can't tell him anything about her. OR his dad or anything about ghosts. What's he gonna think!?_ It didn't feel good at all to lie to Big Mac, but Bright knew he had to if he wanted to look sane. He bit his lower lip, thinking of a proper answer.

"I-I'm sorry, Big Mac...but I don't know anything about your mom."

…

"How did ya know Buttercup was my mom…?"

A frigid chill fell upon the both of them. Bright's muscles tensed up so hard that thought he'd twist them. _Sweet Luna have mercy…_ "Didn't...you mention it before?" He tried to play it off.

Big Mac looked at Bright, puzzled. The mystery about him just ran even deeper. "No, Bright...Ah ain't ever said nothin' to you about her before."

Bright trembled a bit, like an icy knife was prodding his back. He wished to Celestia that he could just disappear, right then and there, because everything was crumbling to bits.

"Were you tryin' to lie to me, Bright?" Big Mac's gaze sharpened into a glare. His voice raised, with a heavy tone of indignation, almost anger. "'Cause let me tell you somethin'. Ah ain't got no respect for anypony who's dishonest or deceivin'."

Bright winced from the sting of hearing Big Mac so aggravated. He wanted to tell him the truth. The whole truth. But, he didn't know if it would be enough. He didn't know if Big Mac would accept it.

Big Mac paused. He took a deep breath and let out a calming sigh. He stared at the pavement under his hooves. "Bright...Ah wanna believe that you're my friend. So...will ya jus'...jus' be totally honest with me? Please?" He looked up, back to Bright, with begging eyes.

Bright struggled to figure out what he should do. Of course, he didn't want to lose Big Mac's friendship. _Maybe...Maybe he will understand...If he's really my friend, he'll understand…_ He thought. Bright was quiet for a long moment, averting his eyes from Big Mac as he mustered up every ounce of courage he had.

"Alright. Here's the truth, Big Mac." He took a breath and checked the street to be sure that they were alone. Then, he looked Big Mac dead in the eye. "I know how crazy this is going to sound, but hear me out. I...I have the ability to see ghosts, or spirits of ponies that have passed on. I'm really sensitive to the presence of ghosts, so the reason why I know your mom is because I saw her in a dream. She must've found her way into my sleep that night. I-uh...I don't remember much about what happened, but I know Buttercup told me that her spirit was going to visit the Pear family before the holidays."

Big Mac's face was unreadable, but he continued to listen. Bright found himself shuffling his hooves, dragging them on the road. He was anxious and it showed and he wondered if he should continue with what he saw earlier that morning. "And...just today, I also saw your dad, Bright Macintosh."

Big Mac recoiled a bit, but he didn't say anything. He let Bright continue.

"He told me that he lost track of Buttercup a little while ago and he asked me for help. I only told him what I knew. But he and your mom are together and happy." Bright finished.

Big Mac hadn't let his eyes off of him the whole time. To Bright, the scariest thing about the past minute was that he didn't know what Big Mac thought about this whole thing. He couldn't tell at all what he was feeling and that terrified him. Then, Big Mac stepped closer to Bright and stood, face-to-face, directly in front of him. Bright bit his lip and shut his eyes tight, preparing himself for whatever horrible thing Big Mac was going to say.

But then, he felt a hoof on his forehead. He opened his eyes and looked up at Big Mac. His face showed concern as he was checking Bright for a fever.

"...Big Mac? What are you doing?" Bright asked.

"Are ya feelin' okay, Bright?" Big Mac didn't feel any extreme warmth on Bright's head, but he moved his fetlock over to his cheek just to be sure. "You ain't sick…and Ah still don't get how ya found out about my mom and dad."

Bright furrowed his brows. His heart sank in his chest and embarrassment began to set in. He hated it. It was a feeling that was all too familiar and he loathed it. "I just told you how. I saw them." He repeated, with a subtle irritation in his voice.

"You takin' anything strong?" Big Mac asked.

"Big Mac, I'm fine!" Bright snarled as he stepped back and away from him, his face burning red under his fur. "I'm not sick! I'm not on any drugs! I know what I saw! I. Saw. Your parents!"

Big Mac was taken aback from such a reaction from Bright. However, he quickly retorted. "Bright, listen to yourself! You're talkin' fiddle faddle about ghosts and disrespectin' my family's personal matters by meddlin' with the memory of my parents! At first, Ah thought you knew something about my mom in life, but now Ah know that, somehow, you're sneakin' and snoopin' where you ain't welcome! It's sick, Bright!" He bellowed as he stomped his hoof in a fury.

Bright flinched, but Big Mac's accusatory words ignited a raging fire from deep inside of him. All of his frustrations and resentment of the past manifested as he spoke. "You know what, Big Mac? I'm so tired of having to explain myself to ponies like you: the closed-minded ones, the ponies who think they know _everything_ about how the world works. Let me tell _you_ something." Bright had a sharp, steely glare burning ferocity into Big Mac's soul. At the same time, he dug the tip of his hoof against the farmer's chest.

"I've seen for myself that there's something beyond death. I've seen ponies so broken after losing someone so dear, when in reality, the ponies they loved never left their side. I've _seen_ my own _mother_ , and she's been dead ever since I was born! If what I see doesn't fit with the world you live in, then I don't want to be a part of it. So do us both a favor. Stay away from me if you think I'm so crazy and don't bother talking to me again." He spat with venom.

And with a bitter scowl and misty eyes, Bright turned around and started into a trot. _I'm never gonna bucking take anymore of this bull again!_ He burnt the bridge he built and didn't bother to look back.

* * *

When Bright entered his home, he slammed the door shut. He stomped his hoof on the hardwood floor multiple times in heated rage before throwing his saddle bag across the living room. He heard the flutter of pages from a couple books that fell out and the clattering of some pencils and quills. There was a high chance his inkwell spilt in his bag, but Bright was too fuming to even care. Then everything went silent. The only thing Bright could hear was his heaving breaths before they broke down into whimpering sobs. He backed against the front door and slid down onto his flanks, head hung low and streams racing down his cheeks.

"Bright…?" Came Ivory's gentle call. Bright looked up and saw her drifting toward him, concern clear on her face. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"...N...No…" Bright struggled to speak through his tight throat.

Ivory sat herself next to Bright. It was the first time in a long time that she had seen Bright this way and she could only wish that she could wrap her hooves around her best friend for a hug. Instead, she rested her head against his shoulder.

"...Do you wanna talk about it…?" She asked.

Bright sniffled and wiped his eyes with his forelegs as best as he could. "Big...Big Mac isn't my friend anymore…" Just talking about it made him tremor for more breath

"What? Why?" Ivory lifted her head to look at Bright, shocked.

He made a bigger effort to try and calm enough to speak clearly. "Things happened...I tried to tell him that I could see ghosts, but...he didn't believe me. I thought he, of all ponies, would be the one to understand…Shows how stupid I am. No one ever does." Bright hit his forehead with his hoof a couple times, frustrated with himself for being too trusting.

"Bright, you're not stupid…" Ivory consoled.

Bright bitterly chuckled through his tears. "A-And you wanna know the worst part? I think...he really did like me. I could've had a chance, but I blew it…" He slumped as he sat, tormented and broken-hearted. "I wish I never had that bucking accident."

Ivory's expression soured. She hated seeing Bright like this. She stayed with him, shaken and agitated that he should continue to be outcast for something outside his control.

 _Enough's enough._ She thought. _You deserve so much better, Bright._


	6. Supernatural

Big Mac jolted awake in a cold sweat early the next morning. His heart throbbed in his chest as he felt as though he was getting his first breath of air after hours of suffocating. He sat in his bed, gasping while he wiped his forehead with a fetlock.

 _Sweet Elysium...What a nightmare…_ Big Mac thought as he tried to recall his dream. Already, the details started to ebb away from the deeper recesses of his subconscious. The only thing he could remember was being inside a dark forest, the Everfree perhaps, hearing ominous voices from all around him, and when he looked one way, he was face to face with a deathly white mare, glaring directly at him with completely blood-red eyes. The image was burned into Big Mac's memory and it gave him a mortifying chill.

He sighed heavily as he looked outside his bedroom window. It was still dark out, but the glow of dawn was approaching. However, pegasi were rolling in some freshly-powdered clouds. Another snowfall must have been scheduled. Then, came the crowing of the rooster from the henhouse. _Time to get up anyhow…_ Big Mac yawned and stretched away his drowsiness. Waking up this early every morning wasn't always so easy, but with the scare he received from his nightmare, he didn't have as hard a time keeping his eyes open. He slipped out of bed, planting his hooves on the floor before starting toward the hallway to go to the bathroom.

However, he didn't get far when his hindleg suddenly got snagged and he fell forward, landing on the wood floorboards with a thud. _Oof...What the hay…?_ Big Mac rolled over and looked down at his leg, seeing that his hoof got caught in his bedsheets. He grumbled. "...Gonna be one o' those mornin's…" He pulled his leg from the sheets and got it free before he stood up again.

Big Mac softly stepped out of his room and carefully walked by Applebloom's, careful not to wake her. Then, as he entered the bathroom, he noticed the temperature drop considerably. _Dagnabbit...Who left the window open last night?_ He thought as he checked the window by the shower. Shut tight. _Huh…?_ Big Mac scratched his chin, but remembered he still had his morning chores to get through. He turned to the sink and grabbed his toothbrush and paste before starting to brush as he did the start of every morning. Then, as his head began to wake up, Big Mac recalled the events from the day before.

 _"Stay away from me if you think I'm so crazy and don't bother talking to me again."_

"Bright…" He frowned. After Bright went off on him and left in a huff the night before, Big Mac was sour the rest of the evening. He didn't understand why Bright would invade his privacy and claim that he was talking to ghosts of all things. Worse than that, the ghosts of his mother and father. _Maybe it was out o' his control. Maybe he wasn't all right in the head...Still, he coulda jus' let me try to help him._ "Stubborn colt." Mac muttered. _He's like AJ, 'cept he's really hurtin' himself._ He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh through his nose. _Ah...Ah liked him...a lot. Maybe Ah still do, but...What can ya do to help somepony who doesn't want help…?_

Big Mac opened his eyes back up and as he looked at his reflection in the mirror above the sink, he noticed something. There was a shadow inside the shower behind the curtain, peeking out from a small crack between the curtain and the wall. Big Mac blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Then, as he peered at the reflection, focusing his vision, he saw the shadow leering back at him with bloody-red eyes…

Big Mac's heart leapt into his throat and he turned around, shoving the curtain aside, almost ripping it off its rack.

...Nothing. Just the bathtub. He gave a sigh of slight relief as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. Gotta wake up. Big Mac spat out the paste in his mouth and washed his face before heading downstairs. He grabbed a scarf and beanie to bundle up for the cold morning, then stepped outside. The land and soil was lightly powdered with frost. Definitely frigid. The freezing air slammed against Big Mac's face and body like a plow. His first instinct was to alternate rubbing his forelegs to keep warm, but he stopped himself not a second after. He still had a responsibility to take care of. So, he cantered over to the barn, briskly, to avoid staying out too long.

It was Mac's turn this morning to let the hens out of the coop and feed them. He grabbed a bag of feed from storage and hauled it onto his back, then walked over to the chicken pen just across the farmyard. The moist earth lightly crunched under his hooves. Then, as Big Mac stepped inside the fence, the chickens started to caw and scamper inside of their coop, sounding squirrelly and distressed. Huh…? He hurried to the coop, worried that an undesirable weasel or fox found its way inside.

Big Mac opened the door for the hens, but in the instant a crack allowed them to escape, they exploded out of the coop in a panicked frenzy. They were so scared that as they fled, they swarmed onto Big Mac.

"Gah!"

The chickens clawed and scratched at Big Mac with their talons to defend themselves. Big Mac was so spooked by the attack that he reared too far backwards and tumbled into a soft muddy patch in the ground.

"Oof!"

Then, the hens had calmed down, after the apparent danger was gone, and they laid off of him. That was when Applejack had emerged from the Apple home after hearing all the ruckus from inside.

"Mac, what in the hay is goin' on out here?" She called from the porch while putting a red sweater on. Then, as she approached the chicken pen, she saw Big Mac picking himself up from the mud patch and shaking off globs of earthy goop from his fur and his clothes. Applejack held a hoof to her mouth as she held back a snicker.

"Pfft!...Y-Y'all okay, Mac? Bit o' trouble there?" She stifled.

Big Mac grumbled a bit before he walked over to the coop, still brushing off mud. He peeked inside. "Somethin' spooked the chickens." He answered, though he didn't find any trace of anything considered frightening. "Ain't nothin' here…" Big Mac scratched his cheek in confusion before wincing at a sudden sting on his face. "Mph!"

"Alright, come here. Let me see the damage." Applejack beckoned with her hoof.

"...It ain't nothin, AJ." He lied.

She rolled her eyes. Applejack knew that Big Mac was too prideful to show whenever he was hurt or in pain. Even though he likes to think he'd seem strong for ignoring it, in her eyes, he was just being a hard-headed foal."Aw, git yer flank over here, ya big teddy bear."

Mac sighed in exasperation and he walked out of the pen to face his sister. Applejack closely examined him. He had scratches on his cheeks, his snout, chin...just about most of the front of his body. There were very few that were actually deep enough to penetrate his thick hide, but with the dip in the mud that he took shortly after, he still had a chance of getting one of the scratches infected.

"It ain't too bad, but you should take a shower and wash all that muck off o' ya. Granny can clean up your nicks and bandage ya up." Applejack concluded. Big Mac was about to speak up, but he was stopped when Applejack held her hoof to his mouth. "Nnope! Ah ain't hearin' any 'buts' from you, Mac. Ah'll feed the chickens. You get yourself clean, ya hear me?"

Big Mac started a groan that quickly turned into a defeated chuckle. "Alright, alright. Ah'm goin'..." He hated whenever he had to let his sister pick up his slack. Sure, he would try to get away with working while injured, but only because he wanted to pull his weight in supporting the farm and the family. That and he couldn't let his sister, the Spirit of Honesty, get all the credit. Reluctantly, Big Mac turned around and walked back into their house, wiping away any mud on his hooves at the door.

 _Still strange though. What were the chickens so afraid of?_ He thought. _Definitely not one o' those mornin's._

* * *

The early afternoon that day saw another snowfall. A gentle, but chilling, wind fell over Ponyville as flakes fluttered down. Big Mac managed a content smile as he stood behind the apple stand in the market. Though he pined for clear, sunny skies, there was something soothing about light snow coupled with the whistling breeze and how the tiny ice crystals stuck to his fur only to melt away into water.

Maybe it was just the rough morning that made him appreciate the calmness. While he awaited for anypony to come and purchase the usual bushel of apples, Big Mac fiddled with the bandage that was on his snout, one of a few others that Granny Smith patched onto his face. As if falling into mud and getting attacked by hens wasn't bad enough, earlier that morning, the cart he pulled to bring the family's stock to the stand started to rock and roll as he entered the marketplace. It felt like it was going fall apart, which was astounding to Big Mac, because the cart itself was only a few months old.

 _Can't believe Ah gotta fix the cart already. What kinda day am Ah havin' today…?_ He brooded to himself. Big Mac couldn't remember the last time he had such bad luck in one day. He hoped that the worst of it had already passed as he looked forward to that evening. It was his and Spike's Guys Night and he was eager for Sir McBiggun to employ some new strategies he picked up for their O&O game.

Big Mac remembered reading about some amazing feats performed by one of the main characters in the _Terrastra Legends_ book he was reading...The same book series that Bright introduced him to. He leaned forward, legs resting on the stand and sighed. He wasn't sure what to think of his friend...well, former friend, anymore. Part of him was still hurt and bitter about yesterday: the harsh things that were said, the lies that Bright expected him to swallow, the appalling deception.

And yet, another part of him still liked Bright. He couldn't understand why, but despite what happened, Big Mac felt as though Bright was still a good stallion: kind-hearted and compassionate, but desperately in need of snapping out of his delusion. _Somepony's gotta help him..._

CRACKLE…

Big Mac's ears perked. He recognized that sound. It was the sharp crackling that splitting wood makes when it was about to-

SNAP! THUD!

One of the corners on right side of the stand suddenly dropped half a foot, which made Big Mac stagger and the baskets of apples he had sitting on the surface toppled over. Over a dozen apples started to roll away along the dirty, slushy ground.

"Aw, f-" Big Mac started, but immediately stopped himself before he could let that expletive leave his mouth. He fumed a low disgruntled growl through his flaring nostrils. Ah just fixed that darn thing last week! What the hay!?

He bared his teeth and scowled as he fetched for the soiled apples that he'll now have to spoil. He tried as best as he could to keep a cool head, but so far, today's mishaps were chipping him down to his last nerve.

"Um...Big Mac?" A tiny voice beckoned to him.

" **What?** " He answered with a harsh gruffness that made his inner exasperation plain. After he picked up another apple, he looked up at whomever was addressing him.

It was Fluttershy and judging by her retreated stance and the way she shied her eyes away, hiding her muzzle within her warm green scarf and jacket, she was intimidated by him. Immediately, pangs of guilt stabbed at Mac's heart.

"I-I'm sorry...I didn't know you were upset...I'll just come back later…" She apologized before turning away.

 _Land's sake! Way to go, Macintosh!_ "No, wait!" He bade her to stop. If there was anypony that Big Mac would hate to upset, it was Fluttershy. She was a kind, sweet filly, hardly deserving of being the target of any lashing out. "A-Ah'm real sorry, Fluttershy. Jus' havin' a bad day is all…"

"O-Oh...Are you okay?" She asked, deciding to assist Big Mac by picking up some stray apples he missed.

"Ah'm alright...A bit frustrated, but bad luck runs out sooner 'r later. Er...Did ya want some apples?"

"No, actually, I just came to tell you...Rarity wanted to let all the Ponytones know that we're going to have an early warm up before our performance at the Hearth's Warming Festival. We're going to run through all our songs." Fluttershy explained, placing the apples in an empty basket near the lopsided stand. "We start at 4PM at Town Hall."

"Thank ya kindly, Fluttershy…" Big Mac smiled and nodded. "...and again, Ah'm real sorry for snappin' at ya."

"It's okay. I understand." She beamed reassuringly. "Anyway, I have to go. Rarity also wanted me and the girls to try some dresses she made for us to wear to dinner tonight. I hope your luck turns around today."

"Eeyup...See ya soon." He sighed softly, watching Fluttershy flutter away. Then, Big Mac turned back to the crooked stand and examined the leg that snapped off. It was the same one he had fixed the week before. The wood was split and splintered outwards, splayed, almost as if it burst from the inside. What in Equestria…?

Big Mac scratched his ear and furrowed his brow. Maybe there was some kind of a curse on him today, like a bad case of Derpy's Law. He breathed a deeper sigh and rubbed his temple with a hoof. He'll have to bring his tools and some new wood later. Tomorrow, perhaps. For now, though, Big Mac would have to avoid leaning or placing anything on the stand.

After his initial boil reduced to a simmer, he looked up and around the street. It was fairly light at the moment, in terms of business. The marketplace was only inhabited by the vendors and the few odd ponies needing the last few groceries for their holiday meals. Big Mac fidgeted a bit as he stood. He didn't like watching the apple stand on days like this, standing around with nothing to do. It was an uncomfortable tick. He nickered while brushing his hooves on the ground, trying to fill the empty air while his eyes scanned for any ponies that might want apples. But then, his sights fell upon a blue unicorn.

When he realized who he was looking at, Big Mac froze. His hooves were planted and his body ceased rocking. He just watched. Bright was a distance away, walking through the market alone. He was wearing his dark blue jacket and beanie, his saddle bag barely strapped to his body, almost sagging, and his head hung low as he padded along the road. He looked...tired, judging by his drooping eyelids and the slight bags beneath them. His horn was glowing, carrying a paper bag that looked like it was his lunch. Big Mac bit his lower lip. He shook his head and tried to avert his eyes away from looking at Bright, but something in the back of his mind urged him to look again. Worry? Attraction? Spite? He didn't know for sure, but when his eyes fell on Bright the second time, Bright was looking right back at him.

At first, Bright's face was blank and it remained that way for a terribly long second before his expression soured into bitter frown, then he continued on his way without a word. Big Mac didn't return any sort of look, but his chest and throat tightened up a bit. Something fell over him, as if he was being weighed down by something he couldn't describe. He swore he could hear a small voice in the back of his mind whispering to him.

 _You hurt him, Macintosh. He was your friend and you hurt him._

"He lied to me. What good's a friendship without honesty?" Big Mac muttered.

 _He told you nothing but the truth and you know it. Is that not good enough for you?_

"Bright's confused...He's just...not right in the head." He felt the fur on his back begin to stand on end.

 _He trusted you with his heart's darkest secret and you treated him like he was a freak._

An icy chill trickled down his spine and he softly gasped when he realized he had been holding his breath. It was then that Big Mac identified what this sensation, this sudden feeling of his chest pressed between two heavy iron blocks, was: guilt. Even if Bright's reasoning last night was some sort of dreamt up lie that he believed in, Big Mac listened, but he immediately dismissed it and he didn't even consider Bright's perspective.

Big Mac sat down behind his crooked stand and thought harder. Would it have made any difference if he played along with what Bright said? He shook his head. "No. It ain't right...Ah don't want him to live a lie…" He wracked his brain for something he could have done, something he could have said that would've steered away from their falling out, but in the end, Big Mac knew that the damage was already done. Their friendship fell apart and there wasn't a way to fix it.

 _Ah guess...it wasn't meant to be._ Big Mac thought as he felt a restless tug at his heart. It leapt inside his chest with longing, but he only sat there, gloom looming over his head.

 _But Ah wish we were._

* * *

The afternoon snowfall faded away as the evening came by. Pegasi pushes the snow clouds away just before sunset, leaving warm hues of yellow, orange, and red in the clear skies above. Big Mac ambled up the pathway to Twilight's castle, relieved to finally have some downtime with Spike and Discord after the total fiasco of a day he's had. The one thing he wanted more than anything right now was to just get his mind off of things with an action-packed, adventure-filled session of Ogres & Oubliettes. And as he came up to the golden double doors, already did one of them open up as Spike came out to greet him.

"Hey, Big Mac! You're right on time." He waved.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac nodded.

"Come on in." Spike warmly invited, holding the door for Big Mac. "Woah. What happened to your face?" He asked, noticing the bandages from this morning.

"Ain't nothin'." Mac avoided as he entered, not wanting to get too in detail of his unlucky day.

"Aw, c'mon, big brother!" Came a familiar country twang. "Tell 'im about yer little tussle with the chickens this mornin'." There was Applejack with her friends, right by the door. All of them were wearing their newly-tailored dresses, courtesy of Rarity, and warm coats over them. Big Mac wore a sour face at Applejack's teasing, but couldn't help cracking a little smile, seeing how gorgeous his little sister was in her western-chic-styled dress.

"Ah'm jus' messin' with ya, Mac." Applejack laughed.

"We won't be back until late tonight." Twilight reminded." Are you sure you don't need anything for your Guy's Night, Spike?"

"I'll be fine, Twilight!" Spike rolled his eyes, tempted to push all the fillies out the door. "And tonight's events are completely confidential. Only recognized guys are allowed to know."

The girls giggled to themselves at the boys' not-so-well-kept secret before they started to leave, with Twilight staying an extra second.

"Just be sure that Discord cleans up after himself this time." She whispered to Spike.

"I promise. Now, hurry up!" He almost desperately urged.

"Alright alright! I'm going!" Twilight laughed, following her friends and closing the door behind her.

"Ugh, finally. I thought they'd never leave!" Spike groaned. "But now, Guy's Night can officially begin!"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac heartily chimed.

"It's Guy's Night!"  
"Eeyup!"  
"Oh, yeah!"  
"Eeyup!"  
"Havin' fun now!"  
"Eeyup!"  
"Oh, yeah!"  
"Oh, yeah!"

The two gleefully chanted as they bumped their rumps and chests against each other. Then, there was a honking of a tiny horn that sounded in the hall as a minuscule wind-up car, brown with red and green polka dots, no bigger than Big Mac's hoof, rolled its way toward him and Spike. It swerved to a stop before them with another small honk. The door opened and Discord came squeezing out of the tightly-packed cabin.

"Good morrow, my friends! Art thou prepared for the most riveting plunge into the world of Ogres & Oubliettes!?" Discord snapped his eagle talons and made the toy car disappear while his dazzling Captain Wuzz costume materialized on his person.

"You bet!" Spike hopped giddily while a long, frizzly, grey beard grew from his chin and the rest of his Garbunkle attire cloaked him.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac heartily agreed, growing a unicorn horn on his forehead and gaining Sir McBiggun's Black Knight armor.

"Oh, fantastic!" Discord chimed. His arms stretched to pull Spike and Big Mac into an excited embrace. "Wait." Discord paused, sniffing the air. "What is that stench?"

"Huh?" Spike took a deep inhale through his nose. "What stench? I don't smell anything." He said before he made another nervous check, sniffing his underarm.

Discord continued, his nose suddenly morphing into the nose of a bloodhound. He pressed his nose to the smooth crystal floor as he traced the path of the scent he picked up. His smell-sleuthing led him to Big Mac. Discord's snout crawled up Mac's leg, detaching from his face as it took in whatever smell was emanating from the black knight.

"Er...Discord?" Big Mac asked.

"Ah, well, that's curious." Discord pondered, his voice slightly nasal. He grabbed his nose that was bouncing on top of Big Mac's head before reattaching it to his face with a click. "That's quite the rare cologne you're wearing, my monosyllabic friend. What is it called? 'Eau D'Ectoplasme'? Personally, I'm quite fond of 'Fantôme: Parfum Des Esprits'." A bottle of cologne appeared in Discord's lion paw in a flash and he sprayed a couple jets of the scent on himself.

Big Mac raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in confusion. "...What?" That was the only thing he could respond with.

"Oh! Please do have a whiff." Discord popped so that he was suddenly coiled around Big Mac like a snake. "Isn't it a wonderful fragrance?"

Big Mac sniffed a few times, but couldn't, for the life of him, smell anything. "Ee-what?"

"Discord?" Spike called, tugging on Discord's tail. "Can we get to the game already? Please!?"

"Of course! Now's not the time for beauty tips! It's time for adventure and triumph!" Discord popped again, freeing Big Mac from his grasp as the draconequus stood upright. "Though between you and me, Macintosh, I'd dial down the cologne." He whispered aside to him.

Then with a snap of his talons, the three friends were whisked away as the castle that surrounded them faded into nothingness. They landed at the entrance of large purple cave, crudely crafted from cardboard. The ground they stood on was a gridded game mat and the world around them was constructed entirely out of papercraft set pieces.

"Now, where were we last time, Spike?" Discord asked, twirling his bow in his paw.

"Let's see…" Spike pulled out his journal for campaign notes from his pouch. After flipping the pages and scanning his scribbles, he found his most recent entry. "Ah! Here we go! Ahem." Spike cleared his throat before taking on a dramatic tone to set the stage. "We arrive at the Cave of Mudora, giving chase to the retreating forces of Dark Lord Raitharn after their failed attempt to storm the capital of Spiketopia. They hope to lose us in the black winding pathways of the cavern. Our mission is to pursue and capture the soldiers to interrogate them for the whereabouts of the Dark Lord."

As Spike recapped, a couple dozen black-cloaked soldiers, all drawn on papercraft game pieces, ran past the three friends and escaping into the cave.

"There they go! After them, boys!" Captain Wuzz alerted as the team gave chase. They charged into the cave and followed closely behind the stragglers of the Dark Lord's forces.

"You fiends aren't going anywhere!" Garbunkle declared, waving his magic staff and casting an ice web spell ahead of the fleeing foes. The spell hit the cave wall and it immediately spread to create a freezing and tangling barricade of frost and slush. With no other passage through the cave, the enemies could only attempt to trudge through the web and as soon as they set their pieces in the affected area, the words "Reflex Save" flashed above them. The sound of d20s rolling echoed in the cave before numbers of mostly low rolls appeared above each of the soldiers. Most of them were ensnared in the web while the few others with decent rolls were greatly slowed.

Sir McBiggun took the opportunity to rush up to the nearest trapped goon, grabbing him by his cardboard edge and threatening him with his broadsword pointed precariously at his crayon-colored throat.

"Y'all better spill the beans about the Dark Lord's stronghold, 'fore Ah spill yer guts on the floor!" He growled. Above him, the words "Intimidation Check" flashed and a d20 appeared in his hoof.

"Alright, McBiggun! No one can resist your intimidation skills." Garbunkle cheered with a thumbs up.

With a confident smirk, McBiggun tossed his die onto the floor to determine his success. It rolled with a satisfying clatter before it came to a halt. "4"

"Four!?" McBiggun's eyes grew wide at the resulting number above his head. The soldier he had grabbed started laughing maliciously.

"As if I'd ever tell you anything, foolish knave! Haha!" He spat. Then, in retaliation, the troop drew his sword with his mouth and attacked McBiggun with a slash. McBiggun staggered backwards from the strike landing on his thick armor. It was able to protect him from most of the damage, but he still took three hit points of damage. Big Mac growled under his breath. Intimidation was usually so easy for him to pull off as Sir McBiggun, but even with his size and charisma advantages to modify his roll, it still wasn't enough to even make his enemy flinch. It seemed as though his lousy day wasn't over yet.

Discord raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?" He scratched his chin in curiosity.

"Aww. That's a rotten move!" Garbunkle frowned until an arrow, held up by a stick, came flying and went whizzing past his head. "Woah!"

Another soldier missed his shot with his paper bow.

"Ooh, you'll regret that, you cur." Captain Wuzz warned, readying his own bow. "No one harms my friends!" Another d20 appeared in the captain's parsnip hand and he gave it a toss.

The die tumbled until it rolled to a stop and the result flashed above his head. "16"

Captain Wuzz released his mighty arrow and it whistled through the air before striking the Dark Lord's goon right in the heart. The papercraft figurine then burst into a puff of smoke.

"Whew." Garbunkle sighed in relief. "Thanks, Wuzz."

The rest of the troop attempted to move and make their escape, making another Reflex Save roll that only benefitted a few of them.

"C'mon, guys. We still have a chance to catch these crooks!" Garbunkle rallied, pointing his staff at their trapped targets. The three companions regrouped and, with weapons at the ready, they advanced on their enemies together. However, as they approached, all of the Dark Lord's soldiers had their bows drawn with bomb arrows. All at once, they aimed high and released their explosives, which detonated upon contact with a massive stalactite that loomed over the heroes. There was a foreboding rumble that shook the cave and an unsettling crackling that was accompanied by falling rubble. "Reflex Save" flashed above the three, along with each of them receiving a d20 to determine their survival as the stalactite began to fall.

"Ohgeezohboyohnononono!" Spike frantically blubbered as he blew his die for luck and tossed it.

"Nopenopenopenopenope!" Big Mac prayed to high Celestia for a decent outcome this time. Otherwise, that huge rock would fall and instantly kill Sir McBiggun. He swallowed and threw his die.

Clatter clatter...

It tumbled along the rocky ground, rolling seemingly slow to Big Mac as his persona's fate was left to luck. Then, as the die came to a near stop, for the longest millisecond of his life, it was left standing precariously between two numbers: 20 and 2. Finally, it leaned and fell.

"2"

"...Aw, buck." Sir McBiggun was weighed down by his heavy armor and wasn't able to react quickly enough to run out of the way of the falling stalactite…

Suddenly, a whistle was blown loudly. "FOUL! PENALTY! INTERFERENCE!" Discord shouted, now donning a referee's uniform while tossing a red card at McBiggun's face.

"Ee-wha-?" The black knight looked up and saw that the rock that was about to crush him was frozen, suspended in mid-fall just above his head.

"Discord, what gives? Why'd you stop the game?" Spike asked, dusting himself off after Garbunkle made his escape.

"Well, isn't it obvious? There was clearly some foul play in Big Mac's rolls. I can't believe I didn't spot it sooner. The cologne should've been a dead giveaway." Discord answered, changing his wardrobe yet again into blue overalls over a green long-sleeve and a green cap embroidered with the letter "D" over the front brim. On his back was a large red vacuum cleaner, with a hose and nozzle that extended to Discord's lion paw. He pulled out a flashlight and started to scan the cave, creeping around the shady darkness in search of...something.

"What the hay are ya talkin' about?" Big Mac moved away from his spot underneath certain death.

"Aha! Found you!" Discord smirked when he cast his flashlight on Big Mac. His vacuum started with an obnoxious whirring and Discord pointed the hose directly at Mac. The suction power of the vacuum was surprisingly powerful for a household appliance and Big Mac had to plant his hooves on the ground to avoid getting pulled in.

"Are ya crazy, Discord!?" He shouted as he struggled to keep his footing, but his words could barely be heard over the roaring of the vacuum's engine. Then, there was a pop and the pull of the vacuum stopped, which caught Big Mac off guard as he fell and fumbled backwards, stopping with his belly on the ground.

"Yes! I've captured that naughty little thing!" Discord cheered triumphantly, snapping his fingers to teleport Spike, Big Mac, and himself back into the safety of the castle, within the chamber of the table map. The three of them were out of their costumes while Discord kept the dust chamber of the vacuum standing on the table, beside all of the OnO maps, charts, and books. The vacuum rattled in unrest, almost as if it was possessed by something.

"Uh, Discord?" Spike scratched his head spines. "Can you please explain what just happened."

"Oh, it's nothing much, really! I only caught a spirit that was haunting our apple-branded friend." He answered so casually, patting the vacuum's storage with his paw while it shook and hopped. "You're welcome, by the way, Big Mac."

"So...you're saying that...Er…" Spike gulped, shivering a little bit. "...th-there's a g-g-ghost in there?"

"Discord's jus' pullin' our legs." Big Mac assured, holding his hoof to Spike's shoulder.

"Oh, no. I'm being completely serious." Discord retorted, materializing a pair of headphones over his ears and a strange hoofheld device with a screen feeding unreadable recordings and a dish antenna pointed at the disturbed vacuum and whatever was trapped inside. "Ooh! And she seems like a doozy! I'd say a Class 5 poltergeist."

"Ain't no such thing as ghosts, Discord." Big Mac shook his head in disbelief. At that instant, the dust chamber trembled more violently, causing it to fall off of the table. Big Mac blinked in surprise whereas Spike hid behind his hindleg.

"U-Uh...Don't let that thing out, okay?" Spike meekly requested.

"My word! There's no need for such language, young lady!" Discord scolded the trapped spirit.

"You can understand it?" Spike asked.

"Of course, I can, Spike! I'm fluent in the soft, subtle dialect of Phantomese. She's such an aggressive one, this one and from what I understand, she's been attached to...ahem…'this big dummy.'" Discord gestured to Big Mac. "And I had to greatly censor her creative choice of words. Big Mac, hasn't anything unusual or odd happened to you today?"

Big Mac's mind instantly went to this morning's incident with the chicken coop, the shadow he saw in his bathroom and the apple stand's leg snapping off. "A number o' things. But it ain't nothin' more than just a bad day." He tried to rationalize, taking a seat at one of the marble thrones at the round table. There was no way that what happened today was the work of some supernatural figment.

"Hmm...That's peculiar." Discord mused after he set the vacuum back on the table. He brushed his goatee with his talons, listening to the spirit through his bizarre gadget. "'You're as stubborn as a mule, Big Macintosh.'"

"Hey!" Big Mac scowled.

"She said it! Not me!" Discord blamed, before he continued. "'You devastated Bright. He's been nothing but kind to you and he put his trust in you and you let him down because you're so bullheaded.'"

"Bright? What's he gotta do with this?" Big Mac asked, sitting upright and raising an eyebrow.

"'Bright is my best friend and when you mess with him, you're in for the haunting of your life.' Oh, my. I think I'm going to like you." Discord chuckled, kicking back on another one of the thrones and putting his cloven hoof and dragon foot up on the table.

"Wait wait wait. Just wait a second. I need to catch up here." Spike rubbed his temples, trying to understand what was even going on at the moment. "So the ghost is a friend of Bright? How is that possible? I mean, it's not like he always has a Ouinling board on hoof." Spike gave a short nervous laugh. "...R-Right?"

"No...it's because…" Then, Big Mac widened his eyes as he had a revelation. All the bad luck he had today wasn't luck at all. They were hauntings caused by this ghost. "...Bright really can see 'em…" He murmured.

"What was that?" Spike asked.

"Uhh...Sorry, fellas. Ah'm gonna have to call this session short. Ah gotta see Bright right now." Big Mac stood up and adjusted his beanie.

Discord flashed out of his seat and in front of Mac. "Excuse me!? So soon? But I just caught the saucy spirit. Now we can play without any interruptions!" He reminded, reapplying his Captain Wuzz attire, flowing hair and all.

"Ah gotta go and fix a mistake Ah made." Big Mac shook his head before he looked over at the shaking vacuum. "And you're gonna have to let her go." He pointed.

"Oh, come now, Big Macintosh. I was going turn her into a lovely painting and hang her up on my wall." Discord crossed his arms in protest, to which Big Mac responded by returning a disapproving glance. "Hmph. Fine. She's all yours." Discord snapped his talons and the release hatch on the dust chamber came off.

"Thank ya kindly." Big Mac smiled, skipping backwards towards the door anxiously. "Ah owe you fellas another Guy's Night!" He burst through the hallway doors, galloped off, and left the castle in a hurry. He had a friend he needed to see.

* * *

The night air was cold and crisp as it lashed Big Mac's fur. Frigid, but not quite freezing, even as he galloped through lamplit streets. Not that it would've made a difference to him. Big Mac was more concerned about whether or not he could still pick up the pieces of his and Bright's broken friendship, though, he didn't know what he was going to say to him or how he was even going to start.

The entire idea of a pony being able to communicate with ghosts and spirits was completely insane, and even then, Big Mac was still having trouble understanding how it was possible for Bright. At one point, he briefly wondered if he was dreaming this whole day and if he was going to awaken to the sound of a rooster's call, but he couldn't deny what had happened today or the intentions of an invisible friend of Bright. _Bright...talks to ghosts…_ That was a fact and it sounded so foreign and strange in his head.

 _"It's sick, Bright!"_

Big Mac remembered. That was the last thing he yelled at Bright in a fury. He shut his eyes tight, grimacing at the thought. _Ah basically called him...a deranged psycho._ He reigned himself, slowing to a brisk trot, needing a breath. _Is he even gonna wanna talk to me after that?_ He thought. The glare that Bright gave him earlier in the market came back to mind. _Dang it...He prob'ly hates me right now. What do Ah say to 'im?_ He furrowed his brows and tightened his lips. Again, Big Mac was having trouble speaking his mind when it came to Bright. _A...Ah still like him._ His stomach lurched and twisted again, except it didn't feel very good like it did when he talked to Bright before. He wished he could take back what he said.

Soon enough, as Big Mac cantered down the long dirt path that lead away from Ponyville, he saw Bright's home peek into view from behind the oak trees that stood on the moist grassy plains. The lights were on within his windows, so he had to be there. Big Mac's hooves grew heavy as he approached. His heart pounded uncomfortably in his chest as he dreaded whatever was was going to happen as soon as Bright opened his front door. Finally, when Big Mac stood at the porch, he lifted his hoof...and he froze. His hoof trembled, unwilling to move. _Come on, Macintosh. Ya gotta talk to him._ He pushed himself to knock, but still held back. _He ain't gonna answer...Ya gotta try, stupid colt._

Then, the handle jiggled and the door opened. There Bright was, on the other side, still dressed warm like he was earlier that day. Being face to face with him, Big Mac noticed some shady circles around his eyes. He had a suspicion that Bright was a bit tired, considering how he looked earlier that day, but now, it seemed he didn't get much sleep at all the night before. Bright looked up at Big Mac with a direct gaze, eyes slightly squinted and his jaw clenched. His hooves were planted firmly on his hardwood floor, as if prepared for a confrontation.

"What do you want?" Bright asked, a bit harshly.

Big Mac winced, though he sort of expected a cold greeting. He took a breath and let the words fall out of his mouth. "Bright, Ah...Ah just wanted to say that Ah believe you. You were right the whole time...Ah know now that these ghosts n' spirits are as real as you or me."

Bright unwittingly let his glare soften and his lips parted slightly, confused. Big Mac continued.

"Ah know you were tellin' me the whole truth yesterday and...Ah'm ashamed that Ah chewed ya out for it. A-Ah was a fool to not put my trust in one of my best friends." Big Mac took a small step closer to him and Bright flinched, retreating a bit in reflex. "Ah'm sorry, Bright...With all my heart, Ah'm truly sorry…"

When it was said and done, the only thing that Big Mac could see on Bright's face was frozen disbelief. Bright seemed as though he was battling himself with conflicting thoughts, all while he just stared at Mac, trying to get something out of his mouth. After a few tense seconds, Bright's pupils shrank and he drew a sharp breath before he finally spoke.

"What kind of a foal do you take me for? You think you can just show up at my door and apologize and expect me to believe you? Do you take joy in playing with my emotions?" He sharpened his gaze once more, lowered his brows, and his face grew red underneath his blue fur as he began to boil. His forehooves visibly tensed, tremoring against the wood floor.

Big Mac's ears fell flat against his head and his tail quivered between his legs. "Bright, Ah-"

"Do you know how much torment and ridicule I've been through over the years? How many nights I've cried myself to sleep, believing that I was a freak!?" Bright stomped, ragefully. "'Look! It's Screwloose Sight! Hey, schizo! Still talking to the voices in your head!?'"

Big Mac crossed his hooves nervously like a colt getting a scolding from his parent. He never imagined Bright concealing so much anger and frustration.

"You can't possibly understand what it's like to see things nopony else can and to be mocked for it, time and time again. It never ends for me, even now, and I'm so bucking sick and tired of all of it!" Bright stifled a sob, wiping his eye with one stroke of his foreleg. He managed to compose himself slightly with a shuddered breath as he turned away from Big Mac. "...If I can't escape being labeled as nothing more than mental or insane, then I'd rather just be left alone. Just...leave, Zap...I-I mean...never mind." He shook his head and closed the door.

Big Mac blinked in confusion for a brief instant before he reached forward and stopped the door, short of shutting.

"Bright, wait." He spoke up.

There was a long moment of silence, then Bright partly opened the door, averting his eyes away, unwilling to be completely vulnerable in front of Big Mac. Big Mac eyed Bright with a sympathetic gaze.

"Ah know Ah can't understand what yer life is like or what you've been through, but it sounds like ya had to endure a lot on your own. And to be really honest, it sounds like a mighty lonesome life." He reached the top of his hoof and lifted Bright's head by his chin and Bright reluctantly lifted his eyes to Big Mac, ears falling flat. "...Bright, you're a real swell stallion. It's a shame ya feel like you have to hide yourself from the world. What Ah said yesterday wasn't excusable, but...Ah still wanna be yer friend. Iff'n you'll have me, that is." He smiled softly.

Bright's lip quivered and as he stared into Big Mac's sincere expression, his face went red again, but it wasn't from anger this time. He wiped away a tear that started to roll down his cheek and he cleared his throat.

"I'd really like that…" He admitted with a nod.

Big Mac's grin grew wider and he sat on his haunches on the hardwood floor, reaching a hoof out to Bright.

"C'mere. Ya need a hug, bad."

Bright let out a short laugh for the first time in a day, partly from awkward attraction, yet mostly from relief. He moved close to Big Mac and let himself sink against his body, wrapping both his legs around him. Mac rested his hoof on Bright's back and comforted him with gentle strokes on his fur. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, picking up a subtle scent of mint and blueberries from Bright's mane. He sighed softly, content.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you like that…" Bright murmured with a slight frown. "I thought it would feel good to just...finally let out all my grief and frustration. And it did for a little bit, but then I looked at you and I felt like I was turning my back on the only living pony that I was most comfortable being myself around. I'm tired of hiding…"

"Guess ya don't have much left to hide from me. Ah'm sure that talkin' to ghosts was the heaviest pill to swallow." Big Mac chuckled a bit, attempting to lighten the dour mood.

"Yeah...You're right." Bright replied with some pep. Then, his ears twitched and he partially parted from the hug, turning his head to look elsewhere, within his home.

"What's up, Bright?" Big Mac asked.

"...It's nothing." He started to lie before the realization hit him. "...Well, actually...I think I'd like to introduce you to my best friend."

Big Mac's calm expression was rattled as he widened his eyes and his smile changed from relaxed to more anxious.

"...H-Heh...Ah think she and Ah are already pretty acquainted." He chuckled nervously, scratching his nose where his bandages were.

"How did you know she was…" Bright paused, finally noticing how Big Mac was injured. Then, he looked over his shoulder and listened before he was suddenly shocked, pulling away from Mac. "...What!? Ivory, why would you do that!? I'd never wish that on anypony!" He turned back to Big Mac with a sheepish smile. "H-Ha...I'm really sorry about the trouble Ivory caused you today. I promise you that I never ask any ghosts to haunt ponies."

Big Mac couldn't help but give a short laugh. There was something about Bright's reaction that was so adorable. "No no. You're alright, Bright. Ah probably had it comin' after that bump we had. Ah don't blame ya. Yer friend was just standin' up for ya." He nodded. "And...Ah'm happy to do the same if anypony gives ya trouble." He felt his cheeks grow warm.

Bright paused, in a short daze, then he grew another smile: a grateful one. "You're really great, Big...Maaaac..." He let out a long, tired yawn.

"Y'all should get some rest. Ya look exhausted." Big Mac suggested.

"Yeah...I'm gonna turn in early tonight." Bright replied, smacking his lips.

"So...er...can Ah see ya tomorrow? Maybe get a cup o' coffee and chocolate at the cafe?"

"Sure. I can meet you there after I'm done at the library. It's Hearth's Warming Eve, so we'll be closing early, in the afternoon at 2."

"Great. Ah'll see ya there." Big Mac grinned, standing up and moseying out the door to leave. However, something came to his mind and after taking his first steps outside, he stopped and looked back at Bright. "Hey, Bright?"

"Yeah?" Bright answered, standing by the door.

"Earlier, ya called me 'Zap'." Big Mac rubbed his neck, hoping not to be too nosy. "...Iff'n ya don't mind me askin', why did ya? Who's 'Zap'?"

Bright gained a bewildered expression at the mention. He looked down, shying away a little, tensing up. A bitter chill ran down his spine that briefly shook his body and his forehooves trembled again. "I...I-I…" He stuttered, almost silently.

Big Mac raised a brow and took a step closer, dipping his head to try and look at Bright's face. "Bright…?"

It took a moment of stunned silence before Bright sharply inhaled and cleared his throat, looking up at Big Mac. "...Zap? Let's just say that he's somepony that...I wish I could forget." He replied.

Big Mac was a bit daunted by the answer. He hadn't known anypony to get so frozen up like that. "Alright...You have a good night, Bright." He parted, wishing not to press further.

"Good night, Big Mac...See you tomorrow." Bright, at least, saw him off with a small smile and a wave of his hoof. Big Mac returned the grin and started to amble back onto the path to town.

He adjusted the scarf on his neck as a cold breeze passed through and began to mull over Bright and the somepony he knew. It concerned him that Bright grew so paralyzed. While he was glad that the both of them were able to reconcile, he knew that there was more that Bright didn't want to share. Whether or not he would was completely up to him, but Big Mac felt in his heart that he just had to be there for him, regardless.

 _Ain't nopony's gonna hurt ya the same way Ah did, Bright...Ah promise._


End file.
